


A Different Journey

by underground_archivist



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Alternate Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-04-05
Updated: 2008-10-23
Packaged: 2020-07-30 10:43:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 42,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20095966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/underground_archivist/pseuds/underground_archivist
Summary: The whole thing was planned. Certain words were to be said and certain rules were to be followed. Elisa is not your average Laby-fan, and she is going to prove that you do not have to be a Mary-Sue or be Sarah to run the Labyrinth. Cliche bashing galore!





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Note from banshee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Underground](https://fanlore.org/wiki/Underground_\(Labyrinth_archive\)) and was moved to the AO3 as part of the Open Doors project in 2019. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are the creator and would like to claim this work, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Underground’s collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/underground/profile).
> 
> This is going to be placed in the AU category as it doesn't quite fit in any of the others. The events in the movie did occur but those in the Manga didn't. This is more of an Adventure/Humor story.
> 
> This story was Beta'd by the talented Sennethe over on FanFiction.

Disclaimer: All recognizable plots, characters, etc. belong to Jim Henson Productions and George Lucas. Elisa, Case, and Jenny belong to Kore-of-Myth.

A Different Journey: Chapter One

It was planned. Deliberately. Hours of thought were put into it. Plans were made, discarded, and revised until perfect. Rules were made and memorized, before being pounded into others’ heads. My family thought me mad, but I wasn’t.

Or at least, that was what I told myself. It was perfectly normal to wish for this last bit of fantasy and childhood before entering the world of grown-ups. At eleven my letter to Hogwarts never arrived, Peter Pan never flew me off to Neverland. I thought that I had lost all my chances to be brought into the world of fantasy after spraining my arm trying to get through the wardrobe in my Aunt’s attic, until I heard in passing of _The Labyrinth_. 

I was a book lover, I wanted to become a writer and I loved being in a book store. At Borders, while trying to find a copy of _Lyra’s Oxford_ I saw the DVD for _Pan’s Labyrinth._ I had recently taken up a love for Greek Mythology and thought it would have to do with the god, Pan, of revelry but when I looked at the back cover I had to put it down immediately. The back cover showed a young girl, about nine or ten, being chased by a monster, and I freaked. I have an over-active imagination; any kind of horror could wreck my sleep for months.

I was introduced to the world of Fan Fiction a month or so later. I came upon some summaries for a film called _The Labyrinth._ I thought this was the film with the freaky background, but after reading the Wikipedia article I realized that it was a different film that would probably hold my interest. 

I then read one story. And then another. And another. 

I loved the tale of villain who was not really a villain and the sacrificing heroine. I couldn’t wait till the holidays (for then it was October) and get the movie so I could watch and really know everything about it. 

I was a backwards fan. I was attracted to the character of the Goblin King – yet when I saw his picture burst into giggles that people thought _him_ attractive. I read the fan fiction sequels before seeing the film. I wished myself away without knowing the speech to save myself or the correct words to get myself through the maze.

When I finally did see the film, (and I have only the once) I nearly hyperventilated. This movie which I had never seen had taken over my life. The film surprised me, but I did like it tremendously (though I will admit I have no appreciation of 80’s music. I thought “Dance, Magic” would be like “Man with the Hex” which has the same opening lines except ‘man’ instead of ‘babe’.) However, my impression of Sarah was lowered. She seemed just a bit whiny to me – and I’m known for whining quite a bit. 

But I was jealous mostly. I didn’t really care so much for the ‘Goblin King’ to fall in love with me though his character was fun to read about. I just wanted an adventure. I was feeling like I was getting consumed by reality, all the fantasy was leaving me but I couldn’t let it go without a fight.

So, I decided to plan a trip to the Labyrinth. 

Doesn’t that sound like I’m going on vacation? Yes, Mom, I’ll be away for thirteen hours. I’ll pack my toothbrush and toilet paper. I don’t have turn-into-goblin insurance but chances are pretty low of that happening.

I didn’t watch the movie again. I don’t have photographic memory but I have the next thing to it. I went through most of the Fan Fiction archive – especially stories of people who had seen the Jim Henson movie before encountering Jareth and his land. I made lists in my head and recited the ‘saving’ speech and the ‘entering’ story while being careful to never say _the_ words. 

I wanted to make it as similar to Sarah’s leaving the Aboveground as possible. That was just insurance, but it seemed to be the safest way to go. I had a few problems however. I was fifteen like Sarah supposedly was, but my parents were happily married and my younger brother was 10, and my younger sister was 9. They were pretty immature but definitely weren’t like Toby. They could be super annoying at times though. I had two older sisters as well but they were already in college so it was up to me to take care of Case and Jenny when my parents went out. 

They didn’t go out much so I had to wait awhile before launching my plan. The day they asked me to baby-sit I wanted to yelp from joy. But I knew my plan had to be set forth then, so I agreed a little sulkily. They gave me two nights of warning and I perfected my plans then.

Now this is important that you know before hand. I had only seen the movie once; Case and Jenny had only seen the movie once though their memory isn’t all that great. However though I had _never_ threatened to wish them away (though I had always planned on wishing away their annoying selves) I had drilled what I called the Three Rules of the Labyrinth into them. They were as follows:

1\. _Do not accept anything._ So much as taking an offered piece of paper could have horrible consequences. 

2\. _Do not speak._ This used to be longer but I shortened it due to their lack of attention span. Anything they could say could be used against them and me. Also, it is impossible to say something is ‘a piece of cake’ when you are not speaking at all.

3\. _Do not go near the Bog of Eternal Stench._ This was self-explanatory.

I had quizzed them and they seemed to know the rules. I only hoped they would follow them – there had been about ten rules in the beginning.

Finally, the night came. I had been upstairs in my room, changing into clothes that wouldn’t worry my parents and be suitable for running a maze in. My parents expected me in PJ’S and I didn’t think that too big of a problem.. I had my sneakers tucked into an accessible corner and my small backpack of supplies as well. 

I waved good-bye to my parents, sulking again and shut the door firmly behind them. Case and Jenny behind me looked hopefully towards me,

“Elisa? Can we watch a movie?”

“Elisa! Mom said I could watch Disney Channel!”

“Elisa!”

“Stop!” I shouted. Apparently getting mad enough to wish them away would be easier than I thought. “The playroom is a mess. Go clean it. There’s no chance of a movie unless it’s spotless in,” I turned to the clock. It was 7 – I expected my parents to be back in about two and a half hours. “Ten minutes. Do you understand?”

Case with his green eyes mischievously sparkling said, “You’re not Mom – you can’t tell us what to do.”

“Oh yeah?” I said leaning in. “Well, I’m in charge so I can tell you what to do. Skedaddle!” I shooed.

Jenny pulled on Case’s arm and they marched down to basement pouting and muttering. I sighed, and then ran upstairs to my bathroom, scooping my bag and shoes on the way.

I pulled on a pair of socks and my shoes and then stood in front of the mirror. I stared for a moment. Unlike the rest of my siblings I had gotten brown hair and eyes and my hair was massively curly. I had made several jokes about how I would have looked awesome in the 80’s. I wasn’t curvy – but I wasn’t really fat or thin either. I did have braces, I bared my teeth at my mirror, but they were white teeth at least. 

Why was I worrying about how I looked though? It wasn’t like I wanted a romance with a Goblin King. Just some magic and an adventure would be awesome, thanks. Besides, I shipped Sarah/Jareth. I hated stories where self-inserts put themselves with the Goblin King.

That reminded me. I pulled from my bag a necklace and a bracelet. The bracelet was ordinary – plastic, I had it for a bribe in case I met anyone like Hoggle. The necklace was more important though. I had seen it at Claire’s awhile back and had liked it. Even before _Labyrinth _I had liked owls and thought that I would be one if I were an animal. The necklace was a bronze owl, rather large but I hoped it would bring me luck tonight. I put it on and tucked it under my shirt. 

I met my reflection’s eyes and set my chin. It was time – though there was one thing left to do.

I ran to my bedroom, pulled out my white rabbit toy and set it on the edge of my bed, and then backed away before approaching slowly.

I looked Sam Bunny in the eye. “Give me the child, no – wait the children.” I shook my head. I’d have to start over. “Give me the children. Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the Castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the children you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours and my kingdom is as great.” I was in Sam’s face now, “You have no power over me.”

It was still for a moment, and then I pulled Sam into a hug. At fifteen I had no embarrassment in such. Or talking to stuffed animals, “Wish me luck, Sam.” I whispered before putting him down. 

I then walked out of my room and down the stairs before stopping at the top of the staircase to the basement. I sat on the top step – listening to the tinkle of Legos being put away as I thought.

I at least had no chance of forgetting the last words – those I had drilled into Case and Jenny’s mind as well. How Sarah had forgotten those was beyond me. One thing I was worried about though was that I grew scared easily – the girls in the fan fictions I had read almost always went with a friend. I was a loner – I didn’t make friends easily due to my head always being in the clouds. Besides, most people didn’t think it was sane of me to be obsessed with a movie from the 80’s – and not be lusting after the male role. 

But I was a bit of a chicken if I was to honest with myself. I just hoped I didn’t turn tail at the first opportunity. Willpower though, was something I did have a large amount of. I know that I could make it through. _Really though?_ A wisp of thought echoed off the sides of my head. _YES!_ I thought fiercely back. _Though I’m not sure why I’m having a conversation with the voice in my head, YES I can do this._

The voice then said, almost morbidly, _Glad you think so. Good luck, you’re going to need it at this rate. And I’d cover my ears in five seconds if I were you._

“What?” I asked out loud. I then realized why.

“UH-LEES-AH!” came Jenny’s whining voice. “I’m going to miss High School Musical!”

Well, if Jenny’s voice wasn’t going to make me mad enough, that movie was. “This is it.” I said before storming down the stairs.

The playroom was still a mess but I didn’t care. Our basement has two rooms – a room with a TV and a room with toys, the playroom. I ran, furious to the TV room where Jenny and Case were on the couch fooling around with the remotes.

“Elisa! I want to watch Spiderman!” griped Case.

“But Mom said I could watch Disney Channel!” then whined Jen, blonde curls flying. 

“No she didn’t,” said Chase grabbing at my arm. “Elisa come on…”

“But I’ve only seen it four times,” wailed Jenny tugging on him and in turn on me. “Mom said…”

I shoved them away from me and they fell onto the couch, their balance jeopardized. “I hate you,” I said quietly, but it was enough to shut them up. Jenny’s eyes filled with tears, but in that moment I didn’t care. I was going to experience magic before I grew up; I was not going to lose that chance now. Though I had planned to just say the words I meant everything I said now. “Both of you.” Case’s fists clenched. He seemed about to erupt when I continued.

“Do you want to hear a story?” I hissed. 

Case asked, “‘Lisa, why are you wearing sneakers…”

“DO YOU WANT TO HEAR A STORY?” I bellowed. He grabbed Jen’s arm – tears were running down her face still. “Once upon a time there was a beautiful,” _who am I kidding?_, “ young girl who whose parents kept her constantly overworked. She used to be well-cared for but then she had to do all the work in the house when her sisters moved out.” This was all how I truly felt and how I felt. It _wasn’t _fair – though I wouldn’t say it aloud. “She was constantly pressured to do the housework, watch her spoiled brother and sister, _and_ get straight A’s. The girl was practically a slave but what no one knew was this: the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with the girl and given her certain powers.” _Just keeping true to the original tale.__“-But what no one knew was this: the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with the girl and given her certain powers.”_

* * *

“Yer majesty?” asked a goblin.

“What?”

“We’s thinks the words are a-gonna be said.”

* * *

I had taken acting classes in my youth though I hadn’t been very good at it. But I was milking it now. “ So one night when she had partically suffered she called on the goblins for help. ‘Say your right words,’ said the goblins. ‘And we’ll take the children away to the Castle beyond the Goblin City and you will be free’” I pitched my voice to be high and squeaky. “But the girl knew that the King of the Goblins would keep the children in his Castle forever and ever and turn them into the goblins. So she suffered in silence unitl one night when her siblings had been total brats to her and she could no longer stand it, she gave in. ‘I can’t bear it no longer!’ she cried. ‘Goblin King, Goblin King, wherever you may be, take these children far away from me!’” _ I said that wrong, oh, well, keep going. It’s not like those ones mattered._

* * *

_ “Goblin King, Goblin King, wherever you may be, take these children far away from me!”_

“Aw,” moaned the goblins in unison. 

“Those weren’t the right words,” one said.

“Maybe she’ll say the words after like the Last Champion did –“

“Of course not,” said their King. “Listen, Elisa will only say the words the Last Champion put in the film, just like all the others. We’re safe.” He smirked horribly.

* * *

I feigned annoyance at the wrong words. Ignoring the looks on my brother and sister’s faces that thought I was a loony, I said. “Oh! I wish I _did _know the words to wish you away you Zeus-awful brats!” Oh the effects, of Greek Mythology. 

I spun on my heel and marched towards the door. I grabbed the knob and turned towards them, my brown hair in my face as I declared evenly, meaningfully, “I wish the goblins would come and take you away, right now.” 

I slammed the door and went to sit on the couch.

_“I wish the goblins would come and take you away, right now.”_

The King threw his head back and laughed, mirthlessly. He then said, “The wrong words again.”

“Yer highness?”

He turned sharply, “Come, have you not bothered me enough?”

“Couldn’t we just take the children?”

“No! The rules of the Labyrinth are quite clear. I only _have_ to venture above if the exact words are said.” The King stood. “I’ll be in my quarters – don’t bother me.”

I counted to ten Mississippi to be safe and it was tremendously quiet. My heart beat rapidly in my chest. I stood and walked slowly towards the TV room door. I took a steady breath to calm myself, told myself not freak out over the goblins and turned the knob of the door, and pushed it open.

Jenny and Case were still sitting on the couch, and they stared at me as if I was insane.


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole thing was planned. Certain words were to be said and certain rules were to be followed. Elisa is not your average Laby-fan, and she is going to prove that you do not have to be a Mary-Sue or be Sarah to run the Labyrinth. Cliche bashing galore!

A Different Journey: Chapter Two

“What are you still doing here?” I screeched. 

“There’s no other door…” said Case slowly.

“But I wished you away!” I wailed. “It was supposed to work – I said my right words. What happened to ‘what’s said is said’?” My breath was coming in shuddering gasps, I knew I was about to cry. Oh, I shouldn’t have put all my hopes on this. Why, couldn’t I have visited?

“It’s not fair!” I stomped my foot, not caring how Sarah-like I was being. “Oh, I hate the world!” 

I ran, not shutting the door, out of the room and up the stairs to the living room. I crashed onto the couch and buried my face into a pillow. “I don’t care that life’s not fair. I love fantasy enough – why did Sarah get to visit the Labyrinth? Why did Wendy get to go to Neverland? Why can’t I go? I dream more than anyone! They’re spoiled rotten brats who never do anything they’re supposed to! I hate them! I hate them! I hate them! Oh if only they were gone! Argh! I wish they were gone! I wish those annoying brats were away! I wish I was anywhere but here with the annoying brats! I wish that Case and Jenny were in the castle beyond the Goblin City, this instant!” 

_“I wish that Case and Jenny were in the castle beyond the Goblin City, this instant!”_

“She said it! She said it!”

Cheers were heard all through the Labyrinth.

_ “I wish that Case and Jenny were in the castle beyond the Goblin City, this instant!”_

A glass of wine crashed down next to booted feet.

“Damn it all.”

I wept into the pillows childishly for Zeus knows how long. I then sat up and wiped my eyes on my arm. 

“Stop it,” I told myself. “Obviously there’s no such thing. Pull yourself together and go convince Jenny and Case you’re not insane.”

I laughed, bitterly in spite of myself. That probably could be solved by bribing them with their movies – and letting Jenny listen to my C.D.’s.

Still wearing my backpack, I headed towards the steps, and noticed that it was really windy. Like…

“Stop!” I told myself again. “It’s over. Fantasy doesn’t and never will exist.” I shook myself and went down to the TV room. “Case? Jenny?”

They weren’t on the couch.

Great, now they’re playing tricks on me. “Case, Jen, I sorry about that. I’ve got a stomach bug or something. Look you can both watch your movies if you come out now. Maybe we can listen to The All-American Rejects later.” _And then I think I’ll go through the traditional emo stage of being a teenager._

I wandered into the room. It was empty of people. “Guys, this isn’t funny.” I said, exasperatedly, as I walked towards the other side of the couch. I heard a faint squeaking. “Guys?”

I heard a drawer open and close. I whipped around but saw nothing. Of course, I thought. They must be hiding in the playroom. Apollo and Artemis, they must be laughing at me now. 

I stormed out and into the next room, hearing giggling. “Case and Jen, come out right now!” I searched the entire room – including the furnace closet. The room was empty though I kept hearing giggling.

More than a little scared now I thought, _maybe they went upstairs while I was in the TV room?_ I ran for it and started calling again. But it was then clear that they weren’t up there.

I panicked. Where were they? It’s not like the goblins took them… the words didn’t work. But then I wished…

Suddenly, there was a rapping at the door. I turned, alarmed, towards the front door and watched to my fear as the locked door swung open and a white owl flew in, flapping madly.

I screamed and covered my head, yelling internally at myself for being a coward but I couldn’t help it. I screamed, and screamed, and screamed some more until I ran out of breath. I coughed several times before looking up, embarrassedly. 

It was the Goblin King. No question about it – it was him. The King stood there tall and imposing as I stared at him. He looked exactly as David Bowie did in the movie – was he David Bowie then? I shoved that thought out of my mind. He was in a jacket with a high collar that was in the darkest of blacks. A cape came down from behind him and swayed slightly from the brisk wind outdoors. The Goblin King’s hair was in that crazy eighties style still. His pants – _no! _I screamed internally_ no lookee at the tighties!_ I instead looked at his face. I was _not_ going to look down there. That would be really embarrassing. 

He – _his name is Jareth! _I reminded myself, for some reason him being so intimidating was making me forgetting his name that I read on fan-fiction daily. He was looking at me in an evaluating sort of way that set me off my guard. I said the first thing that came to mind.

“So, it is real then?”

“Really, Elisa,” the Goblin King said, tilting his head. “Is that something you really need to be asking now?”

His voice was pretty impressive in real life. As was the amount of glitter surrounding him. I had _not _seen that all in the movie.

“You’re right,” I allowed. That was when the state of shock broke, and a huge grin appeared on my face. “Which means it is real. And that there is magic – and I’m not insane.”

As sad as it may sound, I sighed in relief.

Jareth raised an eyebrow but said nothing. I recovered myself and said, “Sorry, but I guess you deal with that often. Or worse.” I added that, thinking of certain fans.

“No,” he said. “I do not. So, I take it you do not want your brother and sister back?” He sounded hopeful.

Oh Hades in Tartarus! Case and Jenny, they must be terrified. I really do love them (occasionally,) they can be brats, but oh Zeus in Olympus! Why hadn’t I thought about that before? _Because you were too excited to see magic and fantasy you twerp!_

“No,” I said fervently. “I’m sorry about the inconvenience but I do want them back. Please.”

“Now, Elisa,” said the Goblin King. “What’s said is said. Go up to your room and play with your dolls and books.” His look was sly.

No! I had to rescue them and go through the Labyrinth. “I’m sorry,” I repeated. “But I have to have them back. Please sir – they are the only younger siblings I’ve got.”

He then pulled out a crystal and did his freaky juggling thing. I knew what he was going to say before he said it, but I was thinking about the fact that my cousin is an expert juggler, and juggling usually has to do with throwing the balls in the _air_ not down to the other hand.

“I have brought you a gift,” he said and paused a moment before continuing. “It is a crystal nothing more, but if you look at it this way it will show you your dreams. But this is not a gift for an ordinary girl who takes care of whining children.” He held it out towards me. When had that distance closed so much? “Do you want it? Then forget the children.”

This was easy. “Of course I don’t want it,” He seemed shocked. “I mean your highness. I know what my dreams are – I don’t need to see them.” _But if you let me run your Labyrinth I’ll get to experience them,_ I added silently.

The Goblin King’s face grew stormy and that was then he turned the crystal into a huge furry spider that I realized was a tarantula. He stroked the back of the nasty thing and said, “Don’t defy me, Elisa.” He then threw it at me.

“Aiiii!” I screamed and ducked. All I felt was a pillow land on me before it fell off and I saw it turn into a goblin before scampering into the corner of the room.

“Damn,” I said aloud without thinking. “I should’ve remembered that.”

“You saw the film?” He asked suddenly. 

“Just once.” I said, worriedly, standing up. “Look sir, I really appreciate what you’ve done and all but I really want Case and Jenny back. They must be scared to death.”

“You should have thought of that before wishing them away.” The Goblin King said, now smirking. “However, if you do want them back you’ll have to travel through my Labyrinth.” He gestured towards the open front door. It still looked like my front driveway.

“My driveway is the Labyrinth?” I blurted, mentally smacking myself. Jareth shook his head and everything shifted. I didn’t feel dizzy at all. It was like everything around me changed – not me who moved.

In front of me was a Labyrinth – it wasn’t the Labyrinth in the film though. It was more like how I imagined it to be before seeing the movie. It extended for miles in front of me – that was the same, but instead of the place looking like it was going through a drought, there was gray stone and healthy grass leading up to the edge. I could see the white castle in the distance – it looked a long way off. I noticed in the back of my mind that it was the middle of winter back home but looked like summer here – and felt like it, and it was daylight out when it had been dark at home.

“Is this the Labyrinth in the movie?” I asked skeptically.

“What do you mean?” He asked back; he was behind me but he wasn’t that close.

I turned. “Not trying to bring up old wounds, but is this the Labyrinth Sarah Williams went through? Is the movie real or was that made up? It looks different.”

He tilted his head. He seemed surprised at my questions. He then said slowly, “The film retold the tale of the Last Champion of the Labyrinth. It displayed how things were for her. Naturally your journey – if you chose to make it - will not be the same as the Last Champion’s.”

Oh, well that answers one of my theories. “Then everything that happens is connected to the person?”

He nodded slightly, as if saying, _yes, Elisa, you’re finally catching on_. He then motioned towards the birch tree and the cuckoo clock in it. “If you wish to rescue your siblings you will have thirteen hours before your siblings become one of us forever.”

The Goblin King then took a step towards me, and I took one back. He was really intimidating in real life. “Turn back, Elisa,” he said softly. “Turn back while you still can.” 

Like that was going to make me do that! Any other Laby-fan would be sighing and drooling right now but not me! “No way,” I declared. “I’m going through that Labyrinth no matter what.” He raised an eye-brow, and I took another step back. And then another. “Your tricks like that won’t work on _me_, Goblin –“

The ground that was under my feet, gave way and I tumbled down the hill a la Princess Bride. “Arggh!” I yelled as I rolled down the hill. 

I was rather lucky the ground was grassy and pretty soft but when I finally reached the bottom of the hill I knew I was going to have bruises. Damn! I groaned slightly but sat up as best as I could and looked up the hill.

Jareth was up there looking down at me – wow, he looked really far up. I couldn’t see his face but I knew mine was flushed. Why couldn’t he have disappeared like he did for Sarah?

I had to show him that one fall wasn’t going to do me in though. I yelled, “I’m alright!” and then I heard his laughter before he sort of faded away.

I tried to stand up then, but tripped over my own feet in the process. “Ow, maybe not.” I muttered. “But I’m not letting _him_ know that.”

I swear I heard his laughter again – I hoped Case and Jenny were alright. 

Then I grinned, Jareth was about to go through the seventh type of hell – my annoying siblings. I got up at that and hobbled towards the edge of the Labyrinth, I was still a good way away. My bruises hurt! 

Curse my klutziness! 


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole thing was planned. Certain words were to be said and certain rules were to be followed. Elisa is not your average Laby-fan, and she is going to prove that you do not have to be a Mary-Sue or be Sarah to run the Labyrinth. Cliche bashing galore!

“I hate you.” said Elisa quietly. Jenny began to cry. Why did Elisa have to be so mean? It wasn’t fair – Amber and Courtney never told her that they hated her. She didn’t care if she was acting like a baby; she wanted to watch High School Musical. “Both of you.” There was a fierce look in her eyes as she stood over her and Case. Case seemed about to say something but Elisa spoke again.

“Do you want to hear a story?” she asked, dangerously.

Case spoke up then, “’Lisa, why are you wearing sneakers…” Jenny saw her sister did have her shoes on – and had a backpack.

“DO YOU WANT TO HEAR A STORY?” She yelled. Jenny whimpered and Case threw an arm around her. She must have taken that for an answer since she continued on and began to tell a story. Jenny thought it was of Cinderella until Elisa said, “But what no one knew was this: the King of the Goblins had fallen in love with the girl and given her certain powers.”

Jenny kept crying though she remembered something. Wasn’t the Goblin King the guy in that movie they had seen ages ago? Wasn’t that the one Elisa wouldn’t stop talking about and when watching the movie had yelled, “How could you forget a line like ‘you have no power over me’? It’s six words! Six!”

Elisa kept telling the story – telling of the goblins who would take away the siblings and then how the King would turn them into goblins, forever and ever. She kept going on until she got to the part where the girl called out, “Goblin King, Goblin King, wherever you may be! Take these children of mine far away from me!”

She seemed almost disappointed. Jenny thought her mad. (Like the rabbit!) “Oh!” She sighed. “I wish I _did _know the words to wish you away you Zeus-awful brats!” Elisa did love the Greek stories. Jenny didn’t know why – everyone died at the end.

Elisa then stormed away to the door. She took a big breath and narrowed her eyes at Case and Jenny. She then said, “I wish the goblins would come and take you away, right now.” She slammed the door on her words, leaving Jenny and Case alone.

Jenny looked at Case. Case looked at Jenny. Jenny made the ‘cuckoo’ sign. Case nodded. 

They weren’t twins but they spent so much time together that sometimes that was all they needed to communicate. Case then opened his mouth and whispered, “What just happened?”

Jenny shrugged but then the door flew open.

Elisa looked like she was ready to face a dragon (minus a weapon). But once she saw Jenny and Case her face grew really pale. It was if she was only now remembering she was going to face a dragon without a weapon. And in a bikini.

“What are you still doing here?” Elisa screeched. Jenny looked at her squarely.

“There’s no other door…” said Case slowly. What was with Elisa?

“But I wished you away!” She wailed. “It was supposed to work – I said my right words. What happened to ‘what’s said is said’?” She seemed like she was going to faint. “It’s not fair!” She stomped her foot. “Oh, I hate the world!”

That was a favorite line of Elisa’s and she used it to run away from them. Jenny heard her run all the way out and up the stairs and the _thump!_ of her hitting the couch. Sobs could be heard.

“What’s with her?” Case asked.

“Dunno,” Jenny said. She wiped her eyes. “Did it have something to do with that movie – Laby-myth, laby-thing, laby-something?”

Case shrugged. And then disappeared.

Jenny shot back from the spot where her brother had been. “Case?” she whispered. “Case? Not funny!”

Then she heard an odd voice behind her, “No, we supposed to get the other one as too! There’s two!”

Jenny turned around and saw two funny beings behind her. “What did you do with Case?” She asked. She knew them from something. She knew them. Knew them. Couldn’t remember them, but knew them.

They seemed surprised she could speak. “Lookee Missy,” said the shorter of two. “You’s gotta come with us.”

“Don’t wanna.” She said immediately. That worked with Courtney. “Where’s Case?”  


“The Other one?” the shorter one asked.

Jenny nodded. “Where is he?”

“Castle,” he nodded. “Other in Castle. You come with us to castle.” 

Jenny then heard Elisa coming down the stairs. The bigger one’s eyes widened and he squeaked, “Missy comes now!”

Both ran towards her and grabbed her arms. Before she could yelp they whisked her away.

Case saw Jenny look at him in horror as the world vanished around him and then flickered back. Except it wasn’t the room where he left.

It was a large room based around a pit in the middle where he was sitting. There were all sorts of gray and green creatures running about, chasing chickens and drinking from -_was that beer?_ He turned to see an odd chair - a throne perhaps? - that was rounded. He seemed to be the only human in the room.

“What the hell?” he screamed. Normally he would have had his mouth scrubbed for that language. The creatures – whatever they were - stopped their running, and turned towards him. They seemed in shock. However he was in more. “Where are Jenny and Elisa? What are you? What am I doing here?” Another thought broke in. “Where is here?”

They all seemed to crowd in front of him into one mass. They muttered for a bit before a really thin one stepped forward. He pointed to the ground, “This castle.”

“This is a castle?” Case repeated. “But where’s the castle?”

How he was staying _this_ calm, he had no idea. He was known for his screaming fits. 

The creatures seemed to find this question easier to answer, “Beyond the Goblin City!”

Goblin City? Did that make them Goblins? Where were there goblins from?

A memory hit him:

_“Case?”__ “Yes, ‘Lisa?”__ “What do you never, _ever,_ say to the Goblin King?”__ “Piece of Cake?”_  
“Yep!”

“No way,” he said. He flopped down in the pit. It was lined with pillows. They stunk a little but he didn’t care. “I’m in that movie Elisa loves.”

All of a sudden, Jenny appeared next to him. “Arggh!” She screamed. She jumped up. “Don’t you ever touch me again, you nasty things! My daddy is a lawyer – I’ll sue!”

“Sue?” One of the larger ones asked.

“Yes,” she nodded fiercely. “He’ll sue all of your green butts!” 

The Larger one didn’t seem to hear the latter part. He pointed to himself. “Me Nog.” He pointed to Jenny. “You Sue.”

Case found this funny. Jenny was enraged. “No,” she said slowly. “Me Jenny. You leave Jenny alone. Yes?” She had that glint in her eye when she was about to scream.

It seemed the Goblins understood and they scampered off squealing. Jenny then realized that Case was next to her.

“Case!” Jenny grabbed him. “Where are we? What are they? Where’s Elisa?”

“It’s alright,” _I think,_ he added silently. “Do you know the movie Elisa likes?” Jenny nodded. “I think we’re in it.”

Jenny was silent for a long moment. “So they’re goblins?” she whispered. Case nodded, a little annoyed and said. “We’re in the throne room or something.” Something hit him. “Do you remember the rules Elisa taught?” 

Jenny cocked her head, “No taking, No speaking, No Stinky, Right?” 

“I think so,” Case said. “We already broke rule two though.”

“Where’s Elisa?” asked Jenny. “She loves this movie – whatever it’s called. Shouldn’t she be here?”

Case crinkled his forehead. “What was the movie about anyway? There was the girl who whined and then the guy with the tights and the baby but where are they?”

“Maybe we’re not in the movie,” suggested Jenny. “It was like Elisa was saying; it’s about a girl who wishes away her brother to the goblins. Maybe you can wish someone away – maybe…”

“Elisa wouldn’t wish us away,” said Case. “Don’t you get turned into a goblin? Elisa loves us – she wouldn’t do that.” Then his heart sank.

“But she said she hated us,” said Jenny. “Remember.” Her lower lip wobbled. “I don’t wanna be a goblin, Casey.” Only Jenny could get away with calling him that. “There was going to be High School Musical on tonight. I wore my pink nightgown on purpose!” She gestured towards the flimsy thing.

“Um, Jen, that’s really not important now.” said Casey. He suddenly felt responsible for his sister. He had never been responsible, he had been the baby brother always. There had always been others to take care of him and Jen. And even though Jenny and him were close, they fought a lot. Jenny could pack quite a punch, too. If Elisa abandoned them, well now he had to take care of himself and Jenny. Oh dear.

“First let’s get out of this pit.” It came up to his hips. “I’ll go first and then I’ll pull you out okay?” Jenny nodded.

Case had always been good at climbing and he was out in an instant. Pulling up Jenny was a little harder (She was built like Eloise from the Eloise books) but they were able to do it.

“Alright,” said Case. “Isn’t that where the Tights Guy sits?” He pointed to the round chair.

“Maybe,” said Jenny quietly. Jenny was never quiet, this wasn’t good. Elisa’s words must have really hurt. Jenny was used to getting what she wanted and being loved – she didn’t take rejection well.

“Look Jenny,” said Case. “The Tights Guy is going to show up. I don’t know what happens then – maybe that’s when he sings. I think we should get out of here. The goblins were supposed to watch us – I think, but I think they’re not paying attention.”

“There’s stairs there,” pointed Jenny. Case turned to see stairs that disappeared round a corner. They went up but they were the only open doorway right now. 

“Let’s go then,” he said, grabbing Jenny’s hand. “I’m with you Jenny.” He said it for reassurance for himself as well as his sister but Jenny didn’t take it well.

Jenny ripped her hand out of Case’s. “I’m not a baby.”

“Yes you are,” said Case. Some things never changed, no matter what danger you were in from crazy guys in tights.

“Am not!” She ran past him and to the stairs. “Catch me if you can!”

Case looked around quickly. None of the goblins seemed to be doing anything other than making chaos. That worked for him. He ran towards the stairs and up them, calling Jenny.

“Case!” he suddenly heard her. “You won’t believe this! Come quick!”

“Jenny?” He ran faster. “You all right?” He saw her at the top of the stairs now, in a doorway. She pulled her head out and looked to him. 

“I’m fine!” she said, almost breathlessly. “Case, you’ve got to see it. It’s like in the movie!”

“What do you mean?” he asked warily. There had been some creepy stuff like that orange guy in the movie that Jen would find awesome and Case would _not_ like.

He caught up to Jenny and panting, leaned against the doorway.

There was a room through the doorway – which was no surprise - but it was the room itself that was so surprising. Case recognized it from the end of the movie. His dentist had had a picture similar to this room over the chair. It helped pass the time to study it as your teeth were taken care of. There were stairs and landings everywhere in every direction. Was there no gravity? He stepped tentatively out onto the landing into the room, holding on to Jenny’s hand. His feet stayed nicely to the ground. He turned to Jenny and grinned. She grinned back. 

“They’ll never find us here,” she giggled. “Betcha you can’t catch me!”

Jenny then ran down a set of stairs and Case chased after her, shouting, “Can too!” He followed Jenny, and maybe perhaps it was because she was younger – or that she wished to be an astronaut, but she had no trouble in switching her direction of running to up or sideways or in reverse. He followed and he realized it didn’t matter that he wasn’t used to it in his mind – he didn’t feel dizzy at all as he ran after Jenny upside down and swinging around a corner that ended sideways.

He felt amazing running all over. _Spiderman isn’t even like this_, he thought as he caught up to Jenny. “I’ve got you!” he yelled as he grabbed her waist and wrestled her to the ground. “I win, Jenny!” He said, sitting on her back. “I win!”

“No fair! You cheated,” She wiggled. “I-” Jenny broke off and seemed to be staring at something in front of her. Case looked up to see the Tights Guy towering over them. Case slid off of Jenny’s back and she sat up and moved back next to Case.

Case didn’t think of himself as a scaredy-cat (not like Elisa who screamed at ants) but he found the Tights Guy pretty creepy. And it wasn’t because of the tights. His face looked cruel and he was just, intimidating.

The Tights Guy stared at them, and Case and Jenny stared back for a long moment before the Tights Guy said in what sounded like a British accent, “I didn’t expect you to be so large. Your sister really is getting all she can with this, isn’t she? Two instead of one, children instead of babes.” He tilted his head, shaking it slightly.

“Where’s Elisa?” asked Case. 

“So you can talk,” said the Tights Guy. “Another surprise. You must be Cathasach?” He otherwise ignored Case’s question.

“Ca-saw--thuck?” repeated Case in confusion. “I’m Case.” 

Jenny seemed to recover her voice then, “Rule two Case! Remember what Elisa said, rule two!”

The Tights Guy turned to Jenny. “And you must be Gwenhwyfar, then.”

Case turned to Jen, ignoring the Tights Guy. “We need to know where ‘Lisa is Jenny. We already broke the rules – it doesn’t matter.” Jenny sighed, and Case turned to the Tights Guy and then asked again, “Where’s Elisa?”

“Why does it matter?” The Tights Guy drawled. 

“It matters because I’m going to miss High School Musical!” exclaimed Jenny.

The other eyebrow went up. “Perhaps you can explain this to me back where you’re supposed to be for the next thirteen, - at least, - hours.” A glass ball appeared in one of his hands and he threw it in the air and the area around them changed again. They were now back in the room where they started – the goblins seeming to be a little wary but still causing chaos. The Tights Guy then sat in his throne thing, while Jenny and Case stood in front of it.

“Ask away, Violent and White,” said the Tights Guy. “You are the first we have had of the wished away that could talk, so speak up.” He leaned back.

“What are we doing here?” asked Case. He was still holding Jenny’s hand.

The Tights Guy rolled his eyes. “Your sister wished you away of course.”

“She wouldn’t have done that,” Case declared. “She loves us.”

“Oh really?” drawled the Tights Guy. He pulled out another crystal and held it up so that the brother and sister could peer in. They could see a small Elisa stomp towards smaller versions of themselves and say, ‘I hate you!’ 

Case looked at Jenny; her lip was wobbling again. “So we’re to become goblins then?” he asked.

“Perhaps, and perhaps not,” said the Tights Guy. “Unfortunately your sister didn’t accept my offer of me keeping you for eternity without charge. She’s agreed to run the Labyrinth for you.”

“Then she’ll beat you and rescue us!” smiled Case. “Like the other girl did in the movie. She knows everything about this place!”

“Such a pity, then that the Labyrinth is different for every person and no one can know everything about It.” said the Tights Guy. “She won’t make it far, and that will leave you two with me.”

Jenny shuddered and Case threw an arm around her. “We’re not staying,” he said firmly. Jenny then seemed to gather some courage as she declared, “Elisa is going to kick your butt, Mr. Tights Guy!”

“WHAT?” the Tights Guy bellowed. He stood up, towering over Case and Jenny. He then hissed, “What did you just call me?” The goblins stopped moving and it was very quiet.

“The Mr. Tights Guy?” asked Jenny hesitatingly. “That’s who you are right? I mean, you do wear those Tights and that is what Elisa called you sometimes.” Her eyes perked up and she seemed to forget her fear for a second, “Why do you wear tights?”

His face was really, really, scary. He leaned in close to Case and Jenny. “Listen,” he hissed. “I am Jareth the Goblin King. You will address me as that and that only. Unless you wish to end up in the Bog of Eternal Stench – I’m sure your sister told you of that?”

“The stinky place?” Case couldn’t help asking.

And then Case really thought he couldn’t get any madder. “Yes, the stinky place!” bellowed Jareth. “Do you understand?”

“Yes sir!” They both said in unison, nodding fervently. They may have broken rule two but they were not going to break rule three!

“Good,” said Jareth more calmly. “And for your obedience I’ll even let you watch your sister – look she’s just approaching the gates.” He pulled out another crystal and it floated towards the center of the room, becoming larger as it went. All the goblins stopped to watch as Elisa’s form materialized as she walked towards a rocky wall.

Jareth sat down, and motioned towards Jenny and Case to sit on the floor next to him and they did so. They started to watch Elisa but Jenny whispered in Case’s ear before they really settled down, “He still didn’t answer why he wears the tights.”

Case could have sworn he heard Jareth mutter darkly, “They’re not tights, damn it!” 


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole thing was planned. Certain words were to be said and certain rules were to be followed. Elisa is not your average Laby-fan, and she is going to prove that you do not have to be a Mary-Sue or be Sarah to run the Labyrinth. Cliche bashing galore!

  
Author's notes:

**And we're back to Elisa's Point of View! The travel through the Labyrinth is now underway as is this story! Thanks to my wonderful beta _Sennethe._**

**And now - Chapter Four!**

* * *

I was able to walk without limping too much towards the gates of the Labyrinth. I knew that evil, laughing Goblin King was watching through his perverted crystal balls. I had forgotten that but I had remembered now.

At this I yelled, “I hope they give you Tartarus!” but no reply came. I wasn’t expecting one, but oh well.

Finally, I reached the stone wall of the Labyrinth. I looked around for the pool Hoggle had been urinating in or Hoggle, himself, but I saw no signs of life larger than my fist anywhere. I could see the little fairies around shrubs growing alongside the wall of the Labyrinth but other than that there seemed to be no one.

But that was no big deal, I told myself. Hoggle was a part of Sarah’s journey – he probably wasn’t a part of mine. Hoggle had always been one of my favorite characters, so I was still a little disappointed. If he had been here then at least I would have had more of a footing of where to start.

Or was I focusing too hard on Sarah’s journey? If Sarah and Jareth ever did get together – but wouldn’t he have referred to her as the Goblin Queen instead of The Last Champion? – she would have had to have gone through another, different adventure. Several fanfictions that I had read had Sarah going through the Labyrinth again, this time it being different. So I did have a footing in a way, I knew that the journey would sculpt itself to me personally and probably lead to self-discovery. I needed to just face what came at me with a clear head and remember nothing is as it seems in the Labyrinth.

I shook my head at this. I was wasting time now. First things first, I had to get in. I looked up at the stone wall. It was perfectly smooth and at least two feet over my head.

“Well,” I said. “I can always do what Sarah did.” I raised my voice, “Could you show me the way in please?”

Nothing happened. I waited ten seconds. “How do you get into the Labyrinth?” Nothing happened. Another ten seconds. Nothing.

“Damn,” I muttered. A rock flew from the toe of my sneaker at a bush. A squeak of indignation came. “Sorry,” I called. I hoped I hadn’t killed it. Even if it did bite.

“You should be,” came a motherly voice. I looked to see a little further to my right a face appear in the wall. “Those fairies have a horrible taste for revenge.”

“You can talk?” I asked stupidly. Excellent impression on the first creature of the Labyrinth that I meet, I thought bitterly. “Sorry, that was stupid.”

“It was,” said the rock formation agreeing. “Now did I hear you say you wanted to know how to get in?”

“Oh, do you know how?” I asked eagerly. I rushed towards it. “If you could help me that would be really great.”

“I do know how to get in,” moved the mouth of the formation. “All you have to do is stick your hand in my mouth.”

“What did you say?”

“I said you must put your hand in my mouth,” said the formation sounding affronted.

“Are you mad?” I exclaimed.

“I may be blind but I know what I said.” The formation said annoyed now.

It was then I noticed that the eye bulges of the formation were closed firmly. I took a look at her mouth. There were several sharp rocks – they must be her teeth, I thought – in it and there seemed to be a light emanating from it.

“Really, all I have to do is put my hand in?” I asked doubtingly.

“Oh yes,” said the formation. “That’s all you have to do. Then the door will open and you can go on your way.”

“Well, alright,” I said warily, not liking this. I raised my hand and was about to put it in when a fairy flew up and shoved past it into the mouth. The mouth slammed shut and a series of squeaks could be heard.

My jaw dropped. “You would have bit my hand off!” I gasped.

“No, I wouldn’t have,” the rocks said plainly.

“How can I believe you?” I challenged.

“Because you have no other choice,” said the rocks. I noticed a wing stuck on one of the ‘teeth’. “I’m the only being that can let you into the Labyrinth – if you walk away now you’ll never get another chance.” The way in comes but once, be steadfast, I thought vaguely, but shook that mangled quote out of my head. Now was not the time to be trying to channel Saidar.

“I don’t believe you,” I declared. “You must be lying – There must be a way that doesn’t require me turning into Rand al’Thor.”

“Fine then,” the rocks said cheerfully. “I’ll be laughing at you later when you can’t get in.”

I stared for a moment. She could be lying – or she could be telling the truth. What was I supposed to do? I couldn’t give up now – I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I did, and Jenny and Case must be terrified.

Actually I doubted that, Case was probably having the time of his life, running with the Goblins. Jenny might be scared but I bet she was playing dress up or something, while Jareth spied on me.

That resolved me. He was probably laughing at me this instant. I forced a smile, “I believe you.” I said, wincing in preparation before shoving my hand into the open mouth.

The mouth closed around it though none of the rocks pierced my skin. They folded around my wrist and I felt as if tiny feet were dancing over my hand. The mouth opened and my hand came out automatically and I saw a gateway appear to the left of the rock face.

“What was that?” I asked the rocks. “What’d you do?”

“Who me?” it asked evasively. “Just a bit of Blind Faith, that’s all.”

I didn’t quite get that, but I said, “Thanks!” and ran through the gateway. I heard it shut behind me and I was stuck in the never-ending corridor like in the film.

I looked left and then right. It looked perfectly identical. “Damn,” I muttered. “I thought that everything that happened to Sarah only happened to Sarah.” I looked both ways again. There still was no difference.

“Hmm,” I mused. “Eeny meeny, miny, Moe, catch a goblin by the toe. If Jareth hollers let him go, eeny, meeny, miny, Moe!” I landed on the right. “Right it is then! And since I didn’t get to say my picked out line before and it works just fine now, move along!”

I started walking humming the song by The All American Rejects. The walls looked slimy and there seemed to be eyes coming from dark chinks in the stone. I reached out and ran my hand along the wall, hoping I would come to one of the hidden breaks. It wasn’t as slimy as it looked, though I had a vague premonition that my hands were going to be glittery after. But man, I was scared!

After I got to the end of the song (though I probably forgot some of the words) and hadn’t found anything, I stopped. Maybe I had to run like Sarah did before finding the gap? I started to run while still brushing my hand across the wall, but after five minutes of that I had to slow down and catch my breath. I was so out of shape.

I leaned up against one of the walls and sighed. Where were the openings? Sarah had been right, what was the point to of a maze without turns? Was I searching on the wrong wall? But how was I supposed to check both at once? Where was that cute little worm when you needed him?

“Do yah mind movin’?”

I sprang away from the wall and turned. “Thanks,” said the gruff voice from a niche I could now see in the wall, down about three feet above the base. “Yah was blockin’ me air.”

“I’m sorry,” I apologized. “It’s just that I’m trying to get out of this section of the Labyrinth and into the turning part of the maze and I couldn’t find the way.”

A pair of red eyes appeared in the gloom, looking eerie. “Stupid, it’s across from yah.”

“Of course it is,” I said sarcastically. “Of course it shows up the minute I stop looking.” I turn and walked towards the opposite wall, and like magic my hand went through. Probably because it is magic you imbecile! I thought.

I turned back towards the red eyes. “Thanks, do you happen to know which direction is the castle?”

“I might,” the gruff voice said sketchily.

“Do you think you could tell me?” I pressed. “I could bargain with you or something.”

“Can yah untie knots?” he asked in a hopeful whisper.

“Most,” I said. “Would you tell me which way to go then if I could untie this knot for you?”

“Yes, yes, yes!”

I beamed. “Great! Where’s this knot of yours?”

The red eyes came closer and closer until a head and body came out of the hole. I was shocked to say the least.

It was a dragon. It couldn’t be more than two feet long and maybe one foot high. His scales were of hunter green and he looked thin, though I really was no judge having never seen a dragon in real life before. I might have been afraid of him even though he was tiny except for one thing. He looked rather pitiful there, for the thing that completed his image was a rope tied around his right ankle that trailed back into the hole – which I now realized was his cave.

I bent down to look at the knot and he raised his foot in an almost embarrassed way. It seemed to be a normal figure eight knot and I wondered why the dragon hadn’t been able to just slice it open – his claws looked really sharp – until I felt the rope. It was cold, cold like a chain would be, and when I tested it between two hands pulling at it, it didn’t move. It collapsed like a rope did, but I could tell nothing would be able to cut through this.

I then met the eye of the dragon. “I will be able to untie this but will you promise to tell me which way leads to the castle?”

The dragon nodded fervently, “Yes, yes, yes, just untie! Please!”

“Okay,” I said and set to work. It took about twenty seconds and then his ankle was loose.

“Free!” The dragon yelled. “I’m free!” He shot off flying, swooping and cackling “free!” every loop-de-loop or so.

He soared higher and higher up, and he did look amazing for such a tiny guy but I was on a schedule.

“Hey! Come back!” I shouted. The dragon turned and glided into a landing at my feet. “You promised you would tell me which way goes to the castle.”

“I did, I did,” the dragon nodded. He then flew up onto the top of the wall and pointed his snout to the left. “This is the way to the castle.” He then nodded to the other way, “That’s also the way to the castle. See yah!” He flew off and out of sight.

“What?! Wait!” I shouted. “You can’t do that! That’s not fair – oh, right.” Those were the other words I wasn’t supposed to say. That and the relative of pie. I thought for a moment. He had told me the way. My question hadn’t been specific enough so it was my fault. “Damn,” I muttered anyway. There was another lesson of the Labyrinth, chose your words wisely.

I sighed, and walked down into the gap, and headed right. I walked that way for about five feet before reaching a fork. I turned around and realized there was a dead end behind me.

“Of course,” I rolled my eyes. I looked at my surroundings again. This place wasn’t in the movie, there was a high wall on both sides, and the fork looked like they went on for a bit before forking again. It looked like dungeon walls or something, except there was a slight flickering of light way up there. I peered up, and it seemed the walls went upward forever. There were sconces on the wall every twenty feet or so, but it was dark. I couldn’t see that well, and a twisting feeling began in my gut. The turn-y section of the maze where Sarah had used her lipstick would have been where this had been. I guessed this was my equivalent.

“I thought that the way it was set up was silly anyway.” I told myself before heading down the left corridor. I took random turns after that – I had doubted a compass would work here amongst all the magic and hadn’t brought one, so I had no idea which direction to go in. I tried to ignore the fear in my stomach but I pushed onward. I had to get through this maze – I couldn’t give up now.

Now that I had actually wished away Case and Jenny I was only now appreciating the fact that they were my siblings – Jareth wouldn’t have come to get them unless he actually thought I meant the words, right? I had meant the words at the time – my anger at them hadn’t been fake - but deep down I was starting to realize though they did annoy the Hades out of me, I did love them.

I went on like that for a while and it was then that I heard the beats of a song I remembered.

In the words of some of my favorite fictional characters, “Give him hell from me, kiddos,” I whispered with a sudden spring in my step.


	5. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole thing was planned. Certain words were to be said and certain rules were to be followed. Elisa is not your average Laby-fan, and she is going to prove that you do not have to be a Mary-Sue or be Sarah to run the Labyrinth. Cliche bashing galore!

Jenny watched Elisa go through the beginning of the Labyrinth, but she got bored quickly. Elisa was taking so-o-o long. Jenny watched Jareth instead.

He was very interesting. He wasn’t in the movie all that much, she remembered, but Elisa had squealed every time he showed up. She and Case had teased her that she liked him, but Elisa was quite clear in her statements that she didn’t. Jenny was secretly happy about that. What kind of crazy guy wears tights?

But Jareth here and now was interesting to watch. When Elisa yelled about Tartar Sauce he had laughed loudly. Case had just sat down and watched the ball like it was TV and hadn’t noticed. Jareth had smirked all through Elisa’s first travels. His eyebrow had risen at her humming, but Jenny didn’t think much of it. He seemed upset slightly about Elisa freeing the dragon – he had muttered, “Damn, he took forever to catch.”

However, he now just seemed to be just deep in thought as he tapped his stick thing – scepter? Elisa would have known - on the ground. When had he gotten that? Jenny wondered. Elisa seemed to be just wandering about through the tunnel-y area. Jareth waved a hand at the crystal and it vanished.

Case turned. “Why’d you stop?” he asked the King.

Jareth stood and stretched, lazily. “Because, your sister isn’t likely to get through the Corridors any time soon. Besides, Violent One, it’s tradition.”

“What do you mean, _violent_?” asked Case.

Jenny thought it suited him well. Case bit _hard._

“Your name is Cathasach, yes?” asked Jareth, bored. “It means violent.”

“My name’s Casey,” said Case, rolling his eyes. “Everyone just calls me ‘Case’. I’m named after that baseball player.”

The King’s eye-brow rose, but he said nothing, for a goblin – that large one from before, Jenny thought, rushed forward.

“Yer Majesty?”

Jareth turned, “Yes, what is it, Nog?”

“Er,” said Nog, shifting from foot to foot. “We’s were wondering that since it’s tradition and all, if we could sings – even though the babes aren’t cryin’ and all.”

The Goblin King’s eyes lit up – almost as if he had been waiting for it. “All right then,” he said, before walking up to a goblin sitting on a beer barrel.

“_You remind me of the babe_,” he said, in a deeper voice.

“_What babe_?” called Jenny and Case on cue. They knew this!

Jareth turned, and Jenny tried not to giggle at how tight his pants were. He seemed mad.

“What are you doing?” he snarled.

Yep, he was mad.

“Singing,” said Jenny seriously. “We know those words – Elisa sang them with us.”

“All the time,” Case said nodding. “We know ‘em.”

Jareth cocked his head, before nodding. “Alright, if you know the words than you can sing them.” He stepped closer and began again, “_You remind me of the babe_.”

“_What babe_?”

“_The babe with the power_.”

“_What power_?”

“_The power of voodoo_.”

“_Voodoo_?”

“_Yes_,” He said, almost as if pleased and pointed to each of them, “_You do_.”

“_Do_ _what_?”

“_Remind_ _me_ _of_ _the_ _babe_.” He then opened his mouth as if to sing but Jenny and Case called, “_What_ _babe_?”

“Quiet!” shouted Jareth in exasperation. “We don’t go through it all again! I sing now – understand?”

“Yes sir,” nodded the siblings fervently. He sounded like he was going to send them to the stinky place again.

“Good,” he said smiling, and Jenny noticed his odd teeth for the first time. He turned away from them and to the goblins. “Where was I? Ah, yes – _I saw my baby, crying hard as babe could cry. What could I do? My babe’s love had gone and left my baby blue. Nobody knew -”_

Here the goblins joined in with him and sang the next line, “_What kind of magic spell to use?_”

The goblins had started to bop in time to the music which had come out of nowhere and different ones said different lines.

“_Slime and snails –”_

“_-Or puppy dogs’ tails.”_

“_Thunder or lightning –”_

“_-Then baby said:”_

Then they all sang together, while Jareth repeated after them though singing louder, _“Dance, magic, dance (dance magic, dance.) Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance.)”_

Jareth than sang, “_Put that baby spell on me.”_ And they were back to repeating each other again, yet dancing around making a certain something of Jareth's _very_ obvious.

“_Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump.) Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump) Put that magic jump on me, slap that baby, make him free.”_

Jenny had crawled_ very_ close to Case by then. They were all dancing all over the place but God! Why’d he have to wear those tights when his-you-know-what was at a certain level of eyesight? Ew, yuck!

“_I saw my baby, trying hard as babe could try. What could I do? My babe’s fun had gone and left my baby blue. Nobody knew-”_

“_-What kind of magic spell to use.”_ Jenny and Case sang along for this line – this was the one of the only other lines they knew.

“_Slime and snails –”_

“_-Or puppy dogs’ tails.”_

“_Thunder or lightning –”_

“_-Then baby said.”_

At this Jenny and Case got the hang of things and stood, and danced, singing what they thought they heard:

“_Pants magic, pants (pants magic, pants.) Pants magic, pants (pants magic, pants.)”_

Jareth, waving his whip-thing in time to the music, (and not noticing the new lyrics) sang_, “Put that baby spell on me.”_

The goblins had swarmed them, and now they were being thrown into the air and caught as everyone sang, (Though not Jenny and Case who were now screaming), “_Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump). Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump). Put that magic jump on me. Slap that baby, make him free.”_

Then Jenny realized that she wasn’t getting hurt and it actually felt like a trampoline, and she now belted completely off key, “_Pants magic, pants (pants magic, pants.) Pants magic, pants (pants magic, pants.) Pants magic, pants (pants magic, pants.) Pants magic, pants (pants magic, pants.)”_

The goblins stopped throwing them, and Jenny and Case recovered their breath as the final words were sung.

“_Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump). Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump). Put that baby spell on me!”_

And the final notes of the song could be heard and it was over. The goblins cheered before running off to their chaos making again.

* * *

He was grinning broadly as he finished his song. He flopped back down on his throne and discarded his prop. He stared at his charges who stared back at him.

Jareth thought them slightly more entertaining then the usual wished-away babes. They hadn’t really asked for anything yet except to sing along and know where their sister was, which was reasonable enough. They were pretty children, though they looked nothing like their sister.

Elisa, a corner of his mind whispered and he brushed it off. At the rate that girl was going he wouldn’t have to deal with the clause of his contract of Goblin King. She seemed to be frightened of most things – he doubted she’d even get through the corridors, though Cathasach (Even though that wasn’t his name now that was to be his name when the thirteen hours were up.) and Gwenhwyfar seemed to believe otherwise.

Jareth brushed that thought off. Sterner stuff then Elisa hadn’t made it through his Labyrinth. Now, he needed to deal with talking soon-to-be citizens, who weren’t complimenting his singing.

“I do enjoy singing that song,” said Jareth hoping one of them would get the hint.

Fortunately, Gwenhwyfar did. “It’s a nice song,” She said. “I don’t know much besides the beginning and the Pants part, but it is fun to sing.”

Pants part? He thought. He could feel his eyebrow rise, “What pants part?” he asked curiously.

Cathasach spoke, “You know, pants, magic, pants. It’s what the whole song is about right?” He seemed to have no idea at how angry Jareth was about to become.

His song. His song, he had written, had been turned into – into -- that insinuation? How dare they insinuate that? That – that -- that he would do such at thing! The Mr. Tights Guy and now this!

Jareth was starting to believe that babies were better than these older ones now.

“It’s Dance, magic, dance,” He growled at the trembling brother and sister. “Why in the Underground did you think it was pants?” The Bog of Eternal Stench wouldn’t be enough, no, he would…

“I dunno,” said Gwenhwyfar. She seemed scared, but Jareth couldn’t care less. “I thought it was because of the tights.” They’re not tights! He raged to himself. “You were the Pants or Tights guy, so you sang Pants Magic. Elisa thought it funny – yeah, Elisa told us it was that or something.”

At last! He crowed inwardly. Someone to blame for this outrage! That, fickle girl, who dared to make his kingdom go through the pain of someone running the Labyrinth, would be shown.

“Elisa again,” Jareth hissed. He asked sarcastically, but the children seemed to miss it, “What did she do – sit you down and teach you everything about the Underground?”

“Yep,” nodded the boy gravely. “Loads of lessons -- what do you never say to the Goblin King – What do you never call the Goblin King – what do you sing – lots of stuff. It was nice of her.”

Nice of her?! Oh yes, it was perfectly wonderful of the girl to arm these children with everything to humiliate him. “She’s asking for it, she just is,” he muttered before summoning one of his crystals.

He peered in and saw she was near the perfect spot for his revenge. Time slowed, and then it stopped as he placed the murals, and the goblin to frighten her. Let’s see how she does with such insinuations, Jareth thought with a feral grin. He took delight in her frightened face that was frozen in time. He let the time flow once more and gave Gwenhwyfar and Cathasach a view of Elisa screaming as the representations of mortal desire chased her down the corridor.

Jareth laughed at her screams of terror, and threw his crystal in the air, letting himself to be brought to the end of that chamber.

He had changed his clothes in the process – the best dressed is the one to impress, the old Fey saying went through his head. He hid in the shadows as he saw Elisa’s form run towards him, screaming something about singing before slowing down and panting. She turned back towards the way she had come, breathing hard and crouched over.

Jareth noticed the bag on her back – had she brought that with her? before shoving the thought out of his mind and creeping towards her and saying in her ear, “So, Elisa, how do you –“

He was cut short though as Elisa stood up quickly and slammed her elbows and feet into certain areas of his body which would have knocked unconscious a mortal but not quite for a Fey.

When the last blow was delivered, he groaned loudly and collapsed to the ground. He would have thought up plans of revenge he couldn’t focus on anything except the pain!

It was then that he blacked out, something he would curse himself for hours after.


	6. Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole thing was planned. Certain words were to be said and certain rules were to be followed. Elisa is not your average Laby-fan, and she is going to prove that you do not have to be a Mary-Sue or be Sarah to run the Labyrinth. Cliche bashing galore!

I bopped in time to the music while going down the corridor, humming along and singing at the few parts I knew. Of course I used some very interesting lyrics.

“Pants, magic, pants,” I sang, while walking. “(Pants, magic, pants)”

That had been a fun lesson, telling Case and Jenny those were the words. I wondered if they were singing them now. Would Jareth be mad at them, or would he just be annoyed with their voices? Unlike me, my siblings couldn’t sing a note – well, maybe Case but if you hear Jenny about to sing, you should run for cover, immediately. Or would, the singing be under rule two, and so they would shut up and not endanger me from Jareth’s wrath?

“Oops,” I said quietly. “Maybe teaching them that wasn’t such a good idea after all.”

The music died out right after I said that, leaving an ominous silence.

I let out a nervous squeak. I hated ominous silences – they always led to disasters. I mean, in movies and such that’s when the bad stuff always happened. All I need right now, I thought. Is for someone to say ‘it’s quiet, too quiet,’ and then –

“AAHHHH!” I screamed as I saw something scamper across the corridor. I backed up and pressed myself against one of the walls, which was luckily right next to a sconce.

I panted, against the wall for several seconds. Then I tried to talk rationally, “Look,” I said to myself, not caring I sounded insane. “It was just a rat or something – just a rat. Those things are common, or a goblin or something. I’m fine, the maze isn’t meant to kill you – just to test you. I’m –“

“That’s what you think.”

I looked up startled. “Who was that?” I trembled.

“Look behind you,” said the voice. I could tell now that it was a woman’s. An older one’s because it was rather er, mature.

“Hate to break it to you,” I said. “But I’m standing up against a wall. There’s nothing behind me.”

Then, something pinched my bum. Hard.

“Ahh!” I screamed and leapt away from the wall and into the center of the hall. “What do you think you’re doing?” I screeched.

“Getting your attention,” said the same voice. However I could now see where it came from.

The wall I had been leaning against had a large mural that seemed to start at the sconce and extend for some ways in front of me. No fork could be seen ahead, nor another sconce. The mural was of rather, how shall I put it? Um, brazen women? They were all curvy and whatnot, but they were all in varying states of undress. Skimpy tops were common. I looked behind me, and saw the opposite wall was similar – except it was a painting of er, armed men trying to rush towards the women on the opposite wall. I was starting to believe they were nymphs.

“Okay,” I said still in disbelief, that a painting was talking to me. “How in Hades does this correlate to my psyche and stuff? I don’t think I lean in that direction and all, but still this is rather odd to know that this is a part of you.”

The nymphs laughed at me. Quickly, but it stung. “It’s a part of everyone,” One of the taller ones said almost huskily. “Some people are just more aware of it than others.”

“Well not me,” I said firmly. “I haven’t even gotten a first kiss – not going in that direction at all yet. I turned fifteen like two weeks ago – what do you take me for?”

As if she hadn’t heard my last comment, the nymph moved forward in the painting and said, “We could always change that,” She smiled and I felt sick.

However, I am a nice person, so I said, “Thanks, but no thanks. Er, you’re a painting and I’m not so it wouldn’t work anyway. I don’t lean in that direction for one thing, and I’m not even that pretty and I’ve got braces and OH MIGHTY ZEUS IN OLYMPUS, HOW THE HADES DID YOU DO THAT?”

As I was speaking, the nymph’s hand had moved forward and more forward and had come out of the painting and reached towards me.

“See,” said the nymph giggling. “Come with us, you’ll like it you’ll see.”

I watched in horror, as most of her came out of the painting – she kept one hand on the wall however, as if she couldn’t leave it like in tag with bases.

I backed away as she reached towards me again and felt a hand on my shoulder. I shrieked, and whirled around to see an armed man, with a horrible grin leaning from his portrait.

I twisted free from his grip, and started to run down the hall. I could feel them though – the nymphs and the men, pulling at me, and my clothes, in one direction and another. Fear gave me flight, and I dodged and screamed, and bit on one occasion. Their laughter and voices followed as well – I just kept running, through the dark as they chased me and at last I could see a pool of light up ahead. I ran harder, losing breath, but with my last I screamed, “LEAVE ME ALONE! I KNOW HOW TO USE SING AND I’M NOT AFRAID TO USE IT YOU PERVERTED FREAKS!”

The grabbing stopped, and slowed and I was in the light. I bent over, hands on knees, and panted. I had never run so fast and so far in my life. I turned behind me to look at where I had come – but the murals seemed to end farther back and I could hear or see nothing of the paintings.

I was so relieved that I missed the footsteps behind me, but I felt the breath on my ear and heard the voice that murmured, “So, Elisa, how do you-“

Of course the voice (Another painting! My mind screamed.) didn’t finish that thought for I stood up very quickly, and shoved my elbow into the thing’s chest, stepped on the inside of its foot, punched it in the neck, and brought my foot up into a very painful spot on my attacker. I did this all without even turning around.

I heard a loud groan and the sound of a body hitting the floor and I breathed a sigh of relief. I had learned how to do that but never had actually done it before. It seemed to work.

I turned slowly to see my attacker was and couldn’t quite make out who the person was. It was a man for sure but his back was to me, curled into a fetal position and rocking slightly. He was in a gray shirt and black - were those tights?

Tights?! Only one person I knew wore tights. I snuck a look at his hair. Or had that odd hair.

“Oh crap,” I murmured. “I just used SING on the Goblin King.” I winced at the rhyme and tried to think up a good excuse for attacking him. None came that would probably satisfy him. Crap.

“I’m in deep shit.”


	7. Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole thing was planned. Certain words were to be said and certain rules were to be followed. Elisa is not your average Laby-fan, and she is going to prove that you do not have to be a Mary-Sue or be Sarah to run the Labyrinth. Cliche bashing galore!

  
Author's notes:

**Thanks to the great **Sennethe** for beta-ing this chapter. I'd also like to send a shout-out to **yodeladyhoo** for her critique as well.**

**And now for Chapter Seven...**

* * *

His groaning stopped suddenly and I really freaked. I ran around to his other side and pulled off my back-pack hoping to find something that would help.

Now, I know most girls would have done something rather different if they were in my situation, but I wasn’t most girls. I would have just left him there honestly, except for the fact I was feeling pretty guilty. I had read that you weren’t supposed to use SING unless you were really in danger.

I dug in my pack for a bottle of water and some ibuprofen. I then remembered that you can’t force feed pills when someone is unconscious.

But what if I had killed him? I kneeled next to him and noticed his chest moving. That was good and I switched his position to the recovery position, thanking the red-cross babysitter’s course I had taken years ago. As he was in a semi-fetal position, I moved his lower arm under his head, and his other in front of him. I pushed lightly on his knees (I didn’t really want to be touching him) so that they weren’t pulled tight up against his body.

Then came the waiting part. I knew I was wasting time to be helping him, but it would really go against my morals to leave him. Perhaps, if he had known I had er, waited he would be more lenient in punishment?

I really should run for it, I thought. I was just a sitting duck waiting here.

But there was nothing to be done. I tilted my head to the side and looked at him. He had changed his clothes unsurprisingly. When he was unconscious he seemed to be more relaxed. I doubted he felt relaxed now, or when he woke up but his face wasn’t as hard when he was out of it.

But time was a-wasting! Damn the consequences, he should have been up by now.

“Er, Your Majesty?” I tried. He didn’t move.

“Your Highness?” I tried again. Nothing.

“Goblin King?” Nada.

I winced and said, “Jareth?” Nothing happened which I was very grateful for. Didn’t calling someone by name put you under their power or something?

I was out of names to call him out of his slumber by and I had this fear of touching him – even though I had just moved him into the recovery position minutes ago. Don’t ask why, I wasn’t sure myself, but I didn’t want to touch him.

I sighed, “Look Goblin King. It would benefit everyone if you would just wake up now. I’m sorry and all, but I really have to get going and save Case and Jenny. They do mean a lot to me – I’ve got to get them. However, you had to show up and scare the bejeebers out of me, so we’re stuck here. Now would be an excellent time to get up – you’d get to antagonize me, and I’d get to get going.”

Nothing happened again. “Oh, damn it all. Just wake up already your Royal Tightiness!”

The Goblin King shot up and yelled, “THEY’RE NOT TIGHTS, DAMN IT!”

I winced at how loud he was, as he winced at the pain, but didn’t collapse again.

However, his look was one of pure murder.

“Er, so you’re up now?” I offered. “At least now I know how to get you up if you fall unconscious again.”

“You brought this upon me,” He said accusatively.

“Not really,” I shrugged. “You should know better than to sneak up on a twenty-first century girl. We tend to be violent”

“Well, I’ll keep that in mind then,” he groaned as getting up. “You’re the first that I’ve met.” He limped over to the wall of the corridor and leaned against it.

“No way,” I said in disbelief. “Girls wish away people all the time because of the movie. I’m sure you’ve met some in the past eight years.”

His eye-brow went up, “You are the first since the Last Champion to come across the words. All others use the words in the film.”

Oh. That explained things, I thought from my seat on the floor. “You’re rather lucky,” I said without thinking.

His look was unreadable. “What do you mean, lucky?”

I pulled out two pills from the bottle and then put it back in my bag. “You’re lucky that you got me to run the Labyrinth instead of the other fan-girls. I doubt you would ever have seen the light of day again if they had shown up.” I stood, bottle and pills in hand. “Then you would have had no time with Sarah.”

“What do you mean, Sarah?”

I furrowed my brow, “Well, she must be seeing you now or something, right? And you’re probably busy with Toby.”

“Seeing?” He asked confusedly.

“Yeah,” I said obviously. “Dating, or she’s the Goblin Queen, right?”

Crap, I’ve done it now, I thought as his face became incredibly stony.

“The Last Champion,” he said slowly, “is happily married with two children. Aboveground. She has never tried to contact me or I her since her time running the Labyrinth.” There was no emotion at all in his tone.

“Sorry,” I said, embarrassed. “It was in the Manga – not that I read it.”

“Manga?”

“Comic book,” I offered.

The Goblin King shook his head and his eye caught on what was in my hand. “What is that?” he asked.

I glanced down. “Oh, right. Here this should help,” I held out the pills and the bottle of water.

He didn’t take it.

“It’s ibuprofen,” I said rolling my eyes. “It’ll help with the pain.”

Eye-brow, up. “I have no need for mortal foolishness.” The Goblin King scoffed.

Annoying men who can’t take help when it’s given and waste my time!

* * *

Pain surrounded him. It engulfed him. It swallowed him. It was everywhere.

Well, he supposed it wasn’t actually, but he felt like it was. Jareth didn’t know what the girl, Elisa, had done to him, but he hurt, damn it.

He could hear her muttering. He hoped she was feeling guilty – she had harmed the Goblin King!

He felt his arms being moved to under his head. He could tell that she was trying to touch as little of him as possible. Why?

Jareth continued to pretend that he was unconscious. He was interested in what this girl would do now – though if she did try anything he was ready to transport her into the nearest oubliette.

However, she seemed to do nothing but sit there staring at him. Finally she slammed her hands on the ground and called, “Your Majesty?”

Lying still and pretending he hadn’t heard her was simple. Jareth had to admit she got a few points for being polite.

“Your Highness?” The worry had entered her voice again. Honestly, Jareth thought but he remained still.

“Goblin King?” Or was it annoyance in her voice? He couldn’t tell but antagonizing her was a simple way to get back. Not that this was his only plan at getting revenge… this was just the start.

Elisa sighed slightly before saying very warily, “Jareth?” That almost surprised him out of his act of unconsciousness. How did she know his name? Oh, yes, Hogskin or whatever his name had been had used it during the Last Champion’s journey. But why didn’t Elisa call him by it if she knew it? All of his subjects had no fear of calling him by name – but the runners always referred to him as his title.

Well, points to her for being courteous, thought one part of his mind. The part that was almost affected by the clause.

The girl sighed in exasperation before saying, “Look Goblin King. It would benefit everyone if you would just wake up now. I’m sorry and all but I really have to get going and save Case and Jenny. They do mean a lot to me – I’ve got to get them. However, you had to show up and scare the bejeebers out of me, so we’re stuck here. Now would be an excellent time to get up – you’d get to antagonize me, and I’d get to get going.”

Jareth stayed still, quite liking how annoyed she was getting. But if he popped up and scared her again would she perform another form of self-defense?

“Oh, damn it all,” Elisa sighed in exasperation. “Just wake up already, Your Royal Tightiness.”

He couldn’t control himself at _that_. Jareth shot up at that and yelled, “THEY’RE NOT TIGHTS, DAMN IT!”

Jareth would have laughed at her wincing at his voice, but he was wincing himself in pain. Fates above, that girl knew where to aim her foot in order to get the maximum amount of pain out of him.

He recovered his face, and shot her his best glare.

Elisa’s eyes widened but she said nervously, “Er, so you’re up now? At least now I know how to get you up if you fall unconscious again.”

His eyes narrowed. “You brought this upon me.” The Goblin King did NOT fall unconscious at whim. Though it was only for a few moments…

They exchanged petty banter, for a while. Jareth payed little attention to what was said – he was trying as best he could to mask his discomfort and pain. He was succeeding he knew, but it was taking up more of his concentration then he liked. In a still only semi-conscious part of his brain, Jareth couldn’t help noticing how the light from the sconces reflected off of Elisa’s brown hair. It made it look like she had been misted with gold…

“You’re rather lucky,” Elisa said suddenly, looking at him.

Jareth kept his expression carefully controlled. Him, lucky? He was king of the Goblins and had to rule this labyrinth where hundreds of rules must be followed –that even controlled whom he fell in love with. “What do you mean lucky?”

She turned away and fiddled with something in her bag. “You’re lucky that you got me to run the Labyrinth instead of the other fan-girls. I doubt you would ever have seen the light of day again if they had shown up.” Was she ‘flirting’ with him by saying she was better than all the other fan girls? But he forgot that as she added, “Then you would have had no time with Sarah.”

This time he barely was able to control his emotions. “What do you mean, _Sarah_?”

Elisa’s brow furrowed, “Well, she must be seeing you now or something, right? And you’re probably busy with Toby.”

“Seeing?” What did she mean?

“Yeah,” she said as if it was obvious. “Dating, or she’s the Goblin Queen, right?”

She thought Sarah and him had… Where had she gotten such an idea? He felt his face harden and he said expressionlessly and slowly, “The Last Champion is happily married with two children. Above-ground. She had never tried to contact me or I her since her time running the Labyrinth. ” Though he had waited all that last evening to see if she would call. He had thought her different than the others when she kept talking to her friends for a few years, but like the others she had forgotten - though not before selling the script off to the production studios.

“Sorry,” she said as if embarrassed. “It was in the Manga – not that I read it.”

“Manga?” What was that?

“Comic book,” she offered.

Jareth shook his head; this was all too confusing. He had come down here to antagonize her and now she was discovering more and more about him… “What is that?”

He gestured towards the brown circles in her hand.

She seemed almost surprised to find it in her hand, “Oh, right. Here, this should help.” She held out the brown things and a plastic bottle of liquid.

Jareth didn’t take it. Were they pellets?

“It’s ibuprofen,” she said rolling her eyes. “It’ll help with the pain.”

The pain which he had been able to ignore before arrived back ten-fold. But he was Fey; he wouldn’t resort to such mortal foolishness and told her so.

Elisa glared at him for a moment before sighing as if giving up. She pulled off her backpack and took a bottle which she poured the pills back into. She threw the bottle of water back in as well after giving it a longing glance.

He couldn’t stop himself for asking, “Why don’t you drink it?”

Elisa rolled her eyes. “I don’t know how long I’m going to be stuck in this part of the Labyrinth. Besides, I can’t count on the fact that you won’t use your crystals to be a peeping Tom.”

She then seemed to realize what she had just said and her face turned white.

Jareth laughed. Loudly and for a good while. When he finally stopped, Elisa just looked at him embarrassedly before setting her chin.

“Well,” she said. “If you’re done taunting me, I have better things to do.” She mocked a curtsy before turning away.

“Ah,” he said walking up to her, wincing at every step but ignoring it mostly. “But I’m not done Elisa, I’ve just started.”

Was that a growl of frustration from her? “Fine,” she scoffed. “It’s your Labyrinth anyway. It’s not like I could stop you if I wanted to. However, if you want to annoy me you’re going to have to follow me. I’m not going to stand around and let you get to me.”  
Thus said, she started to walk down the corridor, where it currently forked left.

Jareth followed, laughing silently at her actions. She was currently going _away_ from the castle. Oh, Elisa, he thought. You really are just a stubborn child.


	8. Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole thing was planned. Certain words were to be said and certain rules were to be followed. Elisa is not your average Laby-fan, and she is going to prove that you do not have to be a Mary-Sue or be Sarah to run the Labyrinth. Cliche bashing galore!

**Chapter Eight:**

_Damn you, damn you, damn you, _I thought bitterly as I marched onward. Of course _I_ get stuck with him while traversing the Labyrinth. Why me? Any other fan girl would be thrilled with this but I just wanted to scream at him.

Okay, maybe I did owe him for hurting him – his muffled groans behind me weren’t as muffled as he thought– but honestly, couldn’t he just drop me in an oubliette instead of ‘gracing’ me with his company?

I turned down another corridor. How long had I been in here for? I knew that the movie wasn’t actually ten hours long but how long was I supposed to wander aimlessly for?

I looked back at the Goblin King. He hadn’t said anything since I had set off, he had just walked behind me.

“I don’t suppose you know if I’m almost through this section of the Labyrinth?” I asked him, still walking.

He quickened his pace slightly and we were walking abreast – no, rather head to shoulder, of each other. “I do,” he said smirking slightly.

“Right,” I said exasperatedly. “Perhaps you could tell me how long I have until I leave this section?

“I think perhaps not.”

I clamped my teeth shut to keep from making a very rude retort that involved him doing something physically impossible. We walked onward in silence for awhile. After taking several branches to the right (The Goblin King kept inching toward the left) I said to break the silence, “Sorry about using SING on you, by the way. I don’t think I ever apologized.”

“You never sang,” he said obviously confused.

I shook my head. “No, it’s an acronym. ‘S’ stands for solar plexus.” I tapped the area above my non-existent chest. “‘I’ stands for instep.” I pointed towards my foot. “‘N’ stands for neck,” Pointing there as well, I motions towards the next without thinking. “And ‘G’ stands for well, groin.” I could feel myself paling. Did I really just say that in front of him?

He didn’t seem perturbed by the word. He just said, “Interesting. Where’d you learn this?”

“Ashwinder,” I said. I glanced at him. “You wouldn’t know of it – it’s an Internet site for SSHG.”

“Oh,” he said as if he wasn’t really thinking about it.

I turned to the left as he was inching to the right now. “Are Case and Jenny behaving?”

I just wanted to know how they were doing – I didn’t give a damn how they were behaving, in fact I hoped they gave him Tartarus. Didn’t I say that already though?

His eyes glinted as he turned his head to me. “They’ve been a delightful chang,e though their questions have been…” I could tell he was trying to find the right word. “Uncomfortable.” He seemed to remember something. “Tell me Elisa, what is it with their fascination with my trousers?”

I broke into guffaws. Really loud ones. I snorted several times and it was all I could do to keep walking. Tears leaked form the corners of my eyes so I couldn’t see much, but I was laughing too hard to care.

When it finally slowed, I sighed. “Oh, dear, you really are lucky sir, that you have me instead of rabid Labyrinth Listians.”

“Listians?” He asked. His face was very confused.

“Your biggest fans,” I explained. I wiped my eyes. “Look sir, you should know that no one for the past say, five hundred years has worn tights like yours without being ridiculed.”

“They’re not tights!” He interjected.

“What are they then?” I asked, (yes, I was going to sell the answer on eBay the minute I got back)

“Trousers,” He said firmly.

“No way,” I said, going straight down the next fork. “Those are way too tight in comparison to trousers. Hasn’t anyone spoken to you about them before – or does everyone down here wear them?”

The Goblin King was silent for a long moment before saying, “We choose our own styles. I was told they suited me once. Otherwise, no, no one has ever spoken to me about them.”

I snorted. “And who told you that – a girl friend?”

Looking firmly in front of him, he said, “My mother.”

I guffawed again. “What?” The Goblin King demanded. “What is so terribly funny?”

I shook my head and headed left down a fork. I noticed the walls were becoming lower – now they were only about the height of the top of the Goblin King’s head. “It’s just that they’re rather – how shall I put it? Oh, I know – attention grabbing.”

“Attention grabbing?” He asked as if not quite getting my meaning.

I nodded grimly. “It’s like you have a big sign saying _look here!_ When I saw the film and saw those, I screamed. One of my older sisters even commented on her innocent eyes – and she’s in college.”

“Surely not as much as you say…”

“If anything, sir, I’ve understated it.” I then realized what I was talking about. Eek! Quick – change the subject, er… “What did Case and Jenny do?”

His face grew stony again. “Your siblings thought my name to be “Mr. Tights Guy’ and were insistent that I was singing about ‘Pants, Magic.’”

Several snorts and guffaws later, I was able to realize that _I_ was in trouble. He stared sternly at me. “They said, you taught them it.”

“I take it they’re not following rule two,” I muttered. One of his eyebrows arched but he said nothing. “Look sir, there’s really nothing to be complaining about their behavior. You’ve only had them for a little while and they really haven’t done anything that horrible.”

“Horrible?” He asked mockingly. “No, they haven’t done anything horrible except destroy my pride and dignity while insinuating things about me that are completely untrue.” His voice was terribly angry.

I sighed. “Really Mr. Goblin King, that’s nothing. Just be happy you haven’t heard about Miss Molly.” Ooh, I had an excellent idea if he took the bait.

“And who was she?” He sneered. “A baby-sitter?” He seemed genuinely interested and fell neatly into my trap.

“I’m not saying anything about _her_,” I declared. “If you want to hear about her so much, ask Case and Jen. That was torture through words only as well…”

“Perhaps I shall,” he said gesturing. “I doubt they could do anything as horrible as they already have done to her as they have done to me. She sounds an ordinary sort.”

You’ve asked for it, I thought grinning internally, though not betraying it on the outside. “Fine then, go ask, but don’t say I didn’t warn you. What happened is rather horrifying.”

He rose to the challenge and stopped suddenly, and I stopped beside him. “Fine,” he scoffed. “I will.” The Goblin King pulled out one of his crystals and started to do his rolling thing before throwing it high into the air and disappearing.

“Oh, you really are a fool,” I said smirking and continued on towards the lowering walls of the corridors.

Case ran after Morag. “You’re it!” He yelled, tapping the goblin’s shoulder.

“Are not!”

“Are too!”

“Case!” Jenny yelled. “Help me find Nog – I have to catch him.”

After Jareth had left, the goblins had started a variation of tag. The goblins had been pretty welcoming to them, and they were all having fun now.

But right then Jareth appeared in front of his throne. “You two!” He barked pointing at Case and Jen. “Come here!”

Jenny shared a look with Case who shrugged, but they made their way towards him. “Yes, Mr. Jareth?” Case asked.

“Yes,” He said. His eyes looked odd – he looked sort of like how Elisa did when she promised she’d listen to one of Jenny’s stories yet kept moving back towards her computer. “Your sister has advised me to ask you to tell me of Miss Molly.”

Case saw Jenny’s eyes go really big – he knew his were probably the same. “Really?” Jenny asked. “You really want to hear about Miss Molly?”

“Of course I do,” said Jareth. “Now, speak of it.”

Jenny turned to Case. “He asked for it.”

“He did,” Case nodded. “This means we can sing it.”

“Oh, get on with it already,” Jareth said in exasperation.

“Alright-y then,” said Jenny cheerfully turning to Jareth. She cleared her throat and Case began to sing the tune-less song with her, clapping there hands to the rhythm that didn’t wasn’t really there “_Miss Molly had a steamboat; her steamboat had a bell, toot, toot. Miss Molly went to heaven; the steamboat went to hell-o operator, please give me number nine and if you disconnect me, I’ll kick you in the behind…”_

I didn’t have to wait long for Jareth to reappear. I had just made my way out of the turny section of the maze when he appeared in front of me. He had this crazy look in his eye as he stumbled towards me.

“That,” he said in a half-crazed voice. “Was sheer torture. What was it?”

“I don’t know,” I said cheerfully. “It’s fun to sing on a cold day though. Did you like it? My favorite part is…”

“NO!” the Goblin King yelled. “Please, no! Anything but that again. It was, it was…”

He seemed to realize that he was begging then for he straightened somewhat and regained a little of his composure. The Goblin King straightened and glared. “For that,” he said. “You’re losing some of your time.”

Another cuckoo clock appeared and I watched in horror as three of my hours were taken.

“That’s not fair!” I said before I could stop myself. He looked pointedly at me.

I rolled my eyes. “Right, life’s not fair.” I ran a hand through my hair. “Okay, what can I do to get that time back?” I then quickly added after suddenly remembering some M rated fan-fics, “Within reason and sanity.”

He tilted his head to the side. “What makes you think I’d even bargain with you to have your precious time back? You’ve only used up two hours – no, five.” He smirked.

“Because,” I tried. What did I have to offer? I had my necklace and my bracelet and my pack…

“Because,” I said eagerly. “I have an Mp3 player.”

“A what?” he asked in confusion.

“An Mp3 player,” I said, pulling off my backpack and rummaging in it. “It’s a little device where you can play loads of music. I’ve got about two hundred songs or something on mine.” I pulled out the little silver machine and my headphones. “I had it in case I got stuck somewhere for a long period of time, but this use is good enough.”

I could tell he was interested. “How does it work?” he asked carefully.

“Like this,” I demonstrated how to turn it on and how to make the volume loud. “Then you just press this button with the triangle.” I did so. “And voila! Fall Out Boy!”

“_Drink down your gin and kerosene,” _the Mp3 player wailed.

The Goblin King cringed slightly and I paused it. “Is that music?”

I gasped. “Of course it is. Fall Out Boy (that’s the group) is awesome recorded. Live they aren’t so great, but honestly – the only thing that doesn’t sound like music on here is my French lessons. I have other things on it as well.” I turned it off and held it out. “So do you want it?”

He seemed almost like a little boy as he tilted his head and stared at it with almost greedy eyes. “And you just want the time I took away given back?” he asked.

Thinking for a moment I said, “Yes, and I want no more time to be taken or this time taken again. You’re to not mess around with it at all for the remainder of my running the Labyrinth.”

A pause. I wondered if I had left anything out – they took things very literally here. However, he said, “Agreed,” and pushed the time back so I’ve only used up two and half hours.

He took the Mp3 player from me and disappeared, off to play with his new toy.

I almost wooted with joy that he was gone but instead just did a little dance. _He’s gone! He’s gone!_ I didn’t even care that I had lost my Mp3 player – which was close to being my favorite electronic device after my computer. I loved the internet…

However, I was on a time limit I reminded myself. I tuned away from the direction I had just left and looked around.

The walls were like at my hips now and the sun felt awesome on my face. It really had been dark back there. There seemed to be a raised dais in the center of this opening area. Around it were about five different openings like the one I had just come through.

I marched my way up to the center and looked around. They all looked mostly the same – I didn’t know which way to go. “Damn,” I said. “How am I going to rescue Case and Jen now?”


	9. Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole thing was planned. Certain words were to be said and certain rules were to be followed. Elisa is not your average Laby-fan, and she is going to prove that you do not have to be a Mary-Sue or be Sarah to run the Labyrinth. Cliche bashing galore!

**Chapter Nine:**

I bit my lip nervously. Where was I to go now? All the openings looked identical. I spun looking wildly for a difference or a clue of some sort, but there was nothing at all.

“Damn,” I muttered again. I couldn’t even see the castle above the maze. Clouds had come in and wrecked my view. “Well,” I said not noticing that I was speaking to myself again. “I guess its time to play pick a Random Path Filled With Danger again.” Then I chanted to the tune of ‘Skunk in the barn yard,’ “Goblin in the Barn, Eww, Yuck. Somebody smelled it, Jareth!”

My finger pointed to a path to the left of the direction I had come from. I hopped off the dais and ran towards it and through it. I had lost some time there – I had probably used about three hours up by now, but still I liked a nice time cushion.

As I ran down this pathway the walls grew taller, but they were only as tall as my head or so. There were some twists and turns as well as forking paths down this area but I just pushed onward.

However as I’ve mentioned, I can’t push on for long running. I can walk for awhile without stopping, but running for five minutes is about the end of my abilities.

I slowed to a walk, panting. I felt a little better and less panicked but still, I was wary. Where was the next hurdle? I didn’t think distracting Jareth with music would make my path immediately easier. In fact…

“AHHH!” I screamed as a large gray thing leaped onto the path in front of me, and I jumped back.

The gray thing lifted his head and gave a small bark and I shot backwards again. It gave a slight bark again, and I got the impression it was laughing at me.

“Humans,” the gray thing muttered darkly. “Scaring you is too easy.”

I then came out of my panic enough to realize he had a canine body and yellow eyes. He was a wolf – and that didn’t help my nerves one bit.

“Unngggh,” I said. Or that was the only sound that was able to leave my mouth.

The wolf shook his shaggy head. “Extremely easy. I suppose you wish to go forward,” I could see his teeth – fangs -- then. My thoughts went into overdrive at that point.

My breathing suddenly became harsher. _Ahh! Sharp teeth!_ It was all I could do, not to gasp. _Wolf!! I’m gonna die!!_ I pulled sharply on a lock of my hair – _Noo! It’s gonna hurt! Ahh! _– hoping that it’d calm myself yet it did nothing to steady my rapidly beating heart. _Don’t eat me! Leave me alone! Ahh!!_

It was pretty amazing considering the turmoil in my mind that I was able to get out the next sentence at all. “I do. But I think I’ll go now the way I came…” I choked out. Then I backed up very slowly and turned v-e-r-y slowly.

And then I got fungus up my nose. Fungus that had been growing on the wall that definitely hadn’t been there five seconds ago.

My hand swung up, swiping at my nose, trying to get the nasty grey-green stuff off of and out of me. After a few seconds of that, and my trying to just snort it out, I wiped my nose on my shoulder sleeve. (Really wasn’t the time to dig for a Kleenex). I then moaned in terror. Stuck with a wolf that probably ate little girls like me! Remember little Red Riding Hood…

Wait! Maybe he didn’t eat humans! Maybe he was a vegetarian! This was the Labyrinth – nothing was as it seemed!

I turned and asked, “Are you going to eat me?” I winced after. What was with me and the stupid questions today?

“I’m not,” said the wolf almost sadly. However, I perked up. I wasn’t going to be eaten! “Jareth doesn’t like the name he’d get if runners were getting eaten in his Labyrinth. He says he has a standard.” Obviously the wolf didn’t have much opinion of Jareth’s standard. But then his tone lightened, “But I’m allowed to tear you to shreds most likely.”

“What?” I shrieked. “How can tearing someone to shreds not be as bad as eating them? What’s with you sadistic Labyrinth people? I nearly get my hand bitten off and then I get nearly groped to death and now you’re going to tear me apart?”

“Yes,” said the wolf solemnly. “What were you expecting -- a waltz in the park?”

Well, not this sort of danger. Sarah had only really been in danger once – and she had just been stupid with Jareth. Why was my journey so much more perilous? Oh right, I didn’t have a Goblin King in love with me. That would explain things.

Though I thought that Jareth was sort of obsessive and a bit of a pedophile and really freaky, I was thinking that having him in love with me so that he could save me from being torn to shreds would be rather nice.

But I’m the bushy haired girl with braces. Like that’s about to happen. Now back to saving myself –

“Are you really going to tear me apart?” I asked again, warily.

The wolf shook his head. “Didn’t I already say that? Humans – you’re all so clueless. Don’t you know what I am?”

“A wolf…” I offered, warily. Was this a trick question?

“No,” He growled, as if he was tremendously annoyed. I whimpered – I’m such a scaredy cat. “I’m a sphinx.”

I told you that I was addicted to Greek mythology, right? Well, I knew what a sphinx was and it definitely wasn’t him. My fears suddenly disappeared as I defended the one topic I knew upside-down and inside-out.

“No way!” I declared. “A sphinx is a lioness with the wings of an eagle and the head of a woman. You have the body – the entire body of a wolf. No chance at all.”

I never knew wolves had the ability to glare. This one taught me that they could. “A sphinx,” He growled menacingly. “Is a creature that guards a path by means of a riddle. That is the definition of a sphinx.”

Snort. “What? Is there a rule book on sphinxes or something?” I asked sarcastically. I knew my Greek myths. Obviously he didn’t know what he was talking about.

“Of course there is,” the wolf said matter-of-factly. “The International Code of the Magnificent Sphinx - there are seven thousand, nine hundred, and eighty eight rules and I’ve memorized them all…”

“You really don’t have much of a life, do you?” I said without thinking. And to think everyone thought I filled my head with nonsense.

He growled again and I jumped. “Just joking!” I squeaked out.

The wolf kept one of his yellow eyes on me for a moment before turning and padding a few feet away and then settling down, facing me again.

“I will give you a riddle,” he announced. “And if you can solve it, I shall let you pass. If you are unable to,” his eyes gleamed. “I will most likely get permission from Jareth to tear you to shreds.”

The urge to vomit came over me. Not that surprising – but can you blame me? Riddles weren’t really my forte – and now I could really appreciate that he was a wolf. When he stood his head had been at the level of my waist – I don’t know the average height of wolves and all but let me tell you, when the animal is right in front of you, they look huge. There was no chance I could defend myself against his claws, teeth, and size.

Why hadn’t I brought pepper spray or a nice doggy bone or something? Why couldn’t I have brought this girl who picked on me, Nancy or one of her cronies to distract him? I don’t like death or killing at all – but if this wolf had torn them apart I don’t think I would have minded. That much.

All right, I would be crying and screaming all over the place but if anyone deserves to be torn to shreds it was those girls.

“And what happens if I don’t answer at all?” I asked. There had to be a loop-hole somewhere…

“We’d sit like this for eternity,” he said without a second thought. “Or until you die of hunger and then I get to eat you.”

Was it just me or was this guy bloodthirsty or what?

“Alright,” I said hesitantly. “Let me hear it.”

The wolf stood up on his haunches and announced, “I soar without wings, I see without eyes. I've traveled the universe to and fro. I've conquered the world, yet I've never been anywhere but home. What am I?”

“Huh?” I said intelligently. Or rather – unintelligently.

“Humans,” muttered the wolf again. “Honestly – a goblin would be better.”

“I heard that!” I reprimanded. He just stared. I stared back. He stared more. I stared more.

The wolf blinked.

“Ha! I beat you!” I crowed.

“No you didn’t,” he said plainly. “You haven’t come up with the answer yet. Do you need to hear it again?”

“Sure,” I said. I listened more carefully this time. What soars without wings and never leaves home? What sees without eyes? Potato? No, potatoes have eyes. Stupid Elisa! What happened to being brilliant with an A average? Hmm, travels the universe and conquers the world….Napoleon?

“It’s not a person, right?” I asked.

“That would be giving you a hint,” said the wolf. “That’s against rule five hundred and twenty seven.”

I rolled my eyes. “Right,” I said flippantly. “I’ll take that as a no. So much for Napoleon. Maybe it’s metaphysical?”

The wolf just stared at me. I wasn’t going into that again, so I started to pace.

“Soars without wings – sees without eyes. What in Hades does that? What soars? Birds – but they have wings. Planes? No, they have wings as well….I wouldn’t call them really wings though – they don’t flap exactly. In my mind….”

“My mind!” I cried. The wolf just stared.

“Is that your final answer?”

“No,” I said suspiciously. “We’re not playing Who Wants to be a Millionaire, right?”

The wolf stared again. I realized he tended to do that when he didn’t know what to say.

“Now let me think,” I said. “Mind soars? That doesn’t sound right – but I know I’m close. My brain doesn’t soar.” Then it clicked and I could practically feel the light bulb over my head. “It’s your imagination! It does everything in the riddle! It’s your imagination!”

“Final answer?” He growled.

“Yes,” I said beaming. “It’s your imagination; I know that’s the answer! Am I right?”

He let out a piteous howl. “How could you figure it out?” He howled. “I’ve asked that riddle thousands of times and no one has gotten it correct. None! How could you?”

“Well, I did,” I said proudly. “Can I go now? I’ve got places to be.”

That gleam of his, hit his eyes again. His howling stopped. “Yes, yes, go on ahead.” He stood and padded to the side of the corridor. It seemed almost too easy. However I ignored the gut feeling that was screaming and walked past him. Before going on though, I turned.

The wolf was facing me now and I felt like I should say something. “Well, it was a good riddle.” I offered. “I almost didn’t get it. But I’ve got to get going now and all. I’m sorry and all – I hope you don’t tear yourself to shreds like the one in the myth did. Though you were going to kill me and all, I don’t exactly want you to go and commit suicide. You know? It’s sort of pointless and wrong and…”

“Would you just get going already?” he bellowed suddenly.

I jumped backwards. “Right!” I said, backing up slowly. “I’m going. Nice meeting you and all, but I’m going nooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!”

The ground was simply gone and I tumbled backwards. Screaming, I slid down a slide of sorts that went side to side and spun wildly. It might have been fun if it hadn’t been entirely in the dark and I had no idea where my landing was going to be. It went on and on for an indefinite period of time before I tumbled off of the slide and face first to the ground.

My hands protected me from the worst of the fall but they couldn’t hold me up for long and I collapsed onto the very hard ground.

“Ow,” I moaned. “I’m going to look like a Smurf by the time I get out of here; I’ll be so covered in bruises.” I sat up, wincing and looked around. Or, tried to.

The place was so dark I couldn’t even see the hair in front of my face. I stood and stretched my hands in front of me and felt nothing. I walked carefully over to where I was shot from and tried to feel the slide I had come down. It wasn’t there though.

I muttered several choice swear words that wouldn’t be proper in a T rated fic. Hadn’t I gotten the riddle right? This must be an oubliette but why….

“An oubliette was a place for forgetting,” I whispered weakly. I smacked myself, literally. I spoke in a stronger voice to myself. “Toughen up! There’s nothing scary – it’s just the dark and someone will come and pull you out eventually.”

But that had happened in Sarah’s journey – I hadn’t met Hoggle, I had met the rock formation and I doubted she would rescue me. Our trips were different because-because-because….

“An oubliette is a place for forgetting,” I repeated. “I’m forgetting something – I must be. Maybe it’s a place not just to forget people but for people to forget things.” I shivered and wrapped my arms around myself. Why was I cold all of a sudden? “Okay, I need a plan to get out of here.” The obvious thing would be to feel around for an exit of some sort. But honestly, I was too scared to do anything but stand there and talk to myself. “Attention. I need to get someone’s attention -- how am I going to do that?” I looked up but could still see nothing but darkness. It hit me again how surrounding it was. The darkness was surrounding me, engulfing me. I was swimming in it – no, I was drowning. Oh Zeus….

I whimpered. “Don’t panic…don’t panic…don’t panic…oh, crap I’m panicking….”


	10. Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole thing was planned. Certain words were to be said and certain rules were to be followed. Elisa is not your average Laby-fan, and she is going to prove that you do not have to be a Mary-Sue or be Sarah to run the Labyrinth. Cliche bashing galore!

Jareth lounged on his throne, fiddling with the silver buttons on the contraption. Where was the power button again? He jabbed angrily and nothing happened.

“Mister Jareth?” asked Gwenhwyfar.

He turned towards the blonde child to his left. “Yes?”

Her eyes lit up. “How’d you get that?” she pointed at the contraption. Em-pee something or other.

“Your sister traded it,” Jareth said. “Do you know how to use it?” His pride had almost out-won his curiosity, but the curiosity prevailed.

Gwenhwyfar nodded eagerly. “Elisa lets me listen sometimes. You press the silver round button there –“ she pointed. “And then you just use skip to go through the songs. She has it shuffled so it’s random but you can skip songs if you don’t like it.”

Jareth did as she instructed and a woman’s voice came out singing of growing up in a small town. The goblins at hearing the music came running towards the throne, and Cathasach followed as well. The Labyrinth didn’t seem to pick up on the music machine, but that barely surprised him. The Labyrinth tended to only notice music produced from beings of flesh and bone, and so the fact that it wasn’t taken part didn’t bother Jareth.

“How’d you get Elisa’s music thing?” Cathasach asked in awe. “She never lets anyone listen to it ‘cept Jenny sometimes.”

That was interesting, and Jareth filed it away into the corner of his mind that held all the information he had learned so far about this Runner.

“Can you switch songs?” asked Gwenhwyfar suddenly. She reached over him and pressed an arrow button. Suddenly there was a male voice chanting. It continued for a minute or so before the beat heightened and the two wished-away started screaming (it most definitely wasn’t singing) along and bouncing.

“_One night and one more time. Thanks for the memories even though they weren’t so great! He tastes like you only sweeter. One night and one more time, thanks for the memories, thanks for the memories. He-e tastes like you only sweeter!”_

Jareth had to wince at the voices but the goblins seemed to enjoy it, picking up on the chorus and bouncing around with the children. They screamed and danced through the rest of the song and Jareth was quite relieved when it was over. He pressed the ‘pause’ button and the children came up to him all smiles.

Cathasach beamed. “Elisa listens to that group all the time though Amber and Courtney hate them. The group is really fun!”

“Yeah!” Gwenhwyfar nodded. “What’d you think Mister Jareth?”

He raised an eyebrow. “That was far from music. That was screaming – with drums.”

“It wasn’t!” exclaimed the two of them. Cathasach continued, “They’ve won awards or something – you should hear Simple Plan. They scream loads and Elisa loves them too.”

“She had a crush on the lead guy or something, didn’t she?” asked Gwenhwyfar. _What?_ Jareth thought in outrage before mentally smacking himself. Why should he care if the Runner had feelings towards screaming lunatics?

“Maybe,” said Cathasach doubtingly. “That was long time ago. That was back when we lived up North.”

“No!” said the girl. “It wasn’t ‘cause it was before her birthday.”

“No it wasn’t!”

“Yes it was!”

“Was not!”

“Was too!”

“Was not!”

“Shut up,” Jareth ordered. The children turned startled towards him. They looked like they were going to start fighting immediately again. “If you stay quiet you can watch your sister. If not, I’ll send you to the Bog of Eternal Stench, do you understand?”

He wondered what the girl was doing now – they seemed to understand what the Bog was and it gave him the perfect excuse to watch her again. Perhaps he’d pick up something to later use against her. It was such a pity that he knew so little of her since he’d stopped paying attention to pre-calling signs years ago…

The children nodded and sat down in their chosen spots on either side of his throne. He liked it better than the cries of mortal babes on his lap – that was for certain They also seemed to be setting more of an example for his goblins – they definitely calmed some when the children did. Very interesting.

Jareth summoned a crystal and after a few passes over his hands blew on it so that it glided into the air. It became larger and slightly clearer as Elisa’s form became visible. Apparently she had come across the sphinx.

No, he looked more closely. She seemed to have made her way _past_ the sphinx. None had made it past him before – that went into the area of his mind reserved for this Runner. The riddling creature didn’t appear on every running of the Labyrinth – but when he did and a runner came across him, none had made it past.

Elisa started apologizing and rambling at the sphinx – what was his name? Before the sphinx’s patience broke and he growled at her. She jumped backwards and began apologizing again, while backing up. A feral grin appeared on Jareth’s face as Elisa fell backwards and down the slide that led into one of the trickiest oubliettes in the Labyrinth. The place was filled with them and only a few knew how to set them off and where they were. The sphinx and Jareth, himself, included.

The crystal moved in on Elisa and he heard groans from her. He felt no guilt – he hadn’t sent her down there, after all. He assumed that sphinx was off consulting his rule book or committing suicide. That was the case for sphinxes usually, but he cared little for that now.

Jareth could see in the dark of the oubliette quite easily. It was one of the things he could do, being Fey - but the wished-away and goblins wouldn’t be able to see anything. “What happened?” he heard Cathasach ask one of the goblins, Ratter.

“Oubliette!” said Ratter eagerly. He then started rambling on who knew what, but Cathasach and the Gwenhwyfar followed him to a corner of the room and listened to him.

Jareth sighed. Well, as long as they were busy and not bothering him, that was what mattered. A few subtle movements of his hands later and the crystal was back in his palm, secure. He shifted his position so that he was at ease, and stared at the girl.

She was looking around, but of course that yielded no results. Her eyes grew wider and she stared mumbling something about panicking. After a minute or so though she calmed herself and started speaking.

“Alright,” she said. The sound that came from the crystal was quiet and Jareth motioned to his goblins to silence them so he could listen. “No one can see in or see out which leaves sound. Sound. But what if no one can hear me?” She seemed to argue internally for a moment before her dark brown eyes lit up. “Of course – I should have remembered that from all the Barney movies years ago. Barney?”

Elisa’s brow furrowed. “Who’s Barney?” Obviously the oubliette’s magic was already affecting her. She wouldn’t be the first to become stuck in that Labyrinth and probably not the last either. Jareth let himself be entertained for a moment with the fantasy that he didn’t turn Cathasach and Gwenhwyfar into goblins and actually raised them as his heirs. Now that wasn’t a bad idea at all actually. They probably were too old to become goblins and Gwenhwyfar when old enough would become an excellent bargaining device to hold off the nagging members of court…

Music suddenly swept through the room. The Goblins and their King looked up startled. The children, themselves, paid no attention, though the goblins had perked up at the music. What was heard in the room was closer to what Jareth would have sung to himself and the goblins, than what Elisa’s music thing contained but Jareth hadn’t asked for music. The Labyrinth gained most of its power- was able to _live,_ because of music. One of the things that made Jareth so suited to being the ruler of the Labyrinth, was that he sung as the mood swept him, which was quite often. For him, music was a way to release emotion, and this helped, basically _feed_ the Labyrinth. In return, for providing this, the Labyrinth returned the favor, often with an instrumental in accompaniment with what was sung. But Jareth hadn’t made any motion that he was about to sing – and this music wasn’t for him, that Jareth could tell.

And neither the goblins nor the children could call for the music, so that left the Runner. Jareth stared in wonder at the little Elisa in the crystal as she started to sing.

“_I am a question to the world. Not an answer to be heard. All a moment that’s held in your arms. And _what_ do you think you’d ever say, I won’t listen anyway. You don’t know me, and I’ll never be what you want me to be.”_ Her voice, he noted wasn’t unpleasant but was slightly deeper than a girl’s usually was. It wasn’t all that amazing of a voice either – not even as good as his often-compared brother. It was odd that it was so deep though. Was it an alto as the mortals put it? The fact that she just broke out into song changed things…

There was a slight instrumental break which the Labyrinth provided and Elisa looked shocked for a moment before continuing on time. _“And what do you think you’d understand? I’m a boy – no I’m a man,”_ here Jareth realized that this wasn’t Elisa’s original song but still she kept on singing as if claiming she was a man was everyday. _“You can take me and throw me away. And how, can you learn what’s never shown? Yeah, you stand here on your own. They don’t know me, ‘cause I’m not here.”_ Jareth thought this an interesting set of words, yet Elisa had a look in her eye that made this thought go hide in a corner of his mind, behind the clause affected part.

Her voice grew more powerful and her voice grew firmer, _“And I want a moment to be real. Want to touch things I don’t feel. Want to hold on and feel like I belong.”_ Jareth recognized this feeling – and that Elisa was singing this with true experience._ “And how, can the world want me to change? They’re the ones that stay the same – they don’t know me ‘cause I’m not here._

“_And you, see the things they_ _never see_. _All you wanted, I could be. Now you know me, and I’m not afraid.” _Elisa smiled, almost shyly, before singing and asking, _“And I want to tell you who I am. Can you help me be a man? They can’t break me – as long as I know who I am.”_ Her last line was a desperate life line.

“_And I want a moment to be real. Want to touch things I don’t feel - want to hold on and feel like I belong. And how, can the world want me to change? They’re the ones that stay the same – they can’t see me ‘cause I’m still here._” Jareth raised a brow, but again understood her feelings and couldn’t help but relate to her. There’d been several times when he’d felt like this himself when dealing with his family…

Elisa’s voice became more passionate as she sang almost desperately again, _“They can’t tell me who to be. ‘Cause I’m not what they seem.” _Her song grew more fervent and fast paced as she sang faster, _“And the world is still sleeping, while I keep on dreaming for me. And their words are just whispers and lies that I’ll never believe.”_ Her voice grew stronger and she closed her eyes and raised her hands as she held the note.

“_And I want a moment to be real. Want to touch things I don’t feel - want to hold on and feel like I belong. And how, can they say I never change? They’re the ones that stay the same – I’m the one now, ‘cause I’m still here._” Her eyes opened and she sang more powerfully then ever, _“I’m the one – ‘cause I’m still here! I’m still here – I’m still here.” _Then finally as she sang more quietly, _“I’m still here.”_

The music trailed off after and she seemed almost out of breath and Jareth couldn’t blame her. That song was immensely powerful and she had pulled it off. Apparently she had music in her veins too – hopefully that shouldn’t cause too many problems except an already noticeably large one.

Elisa’s overall self had suddenly become much more admirable in Jareth’s mind.


	11. Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole thing was planned. Certain words were to be said and certain rules were to be followed. Elisa is not your average Laby-fan, and she is going to prove that you do not have to be a Mary-Sue or be Sarah to run the Labyrinth. Cliche bashing galore!

**Chapter Eleven**

The dark still surrounded me but I felt better once I had sung. I was surprised when the music started playing around me, but I passed it off as another of the Labyrinth’s quirks. I just hoped someone would have heard me or something. I wasn’t forgetting things anymore – hopefully – but that could change quickly and without me recognizing it.

What would happen if no one came to rescue me though? The thought passed the front of my head and taunted me and my schemes. Would Jareth leave me here to rot away until I died? Or would I be sent home after the thirteen hours were up and be forced to see my sibling become goblins? For the first time since planning to wish away Case and Jenny I doubted myself. How could I stand to live with myself if I failed my siblings? What if I didn’t make it in time? I had never included that into my calculations but now it was a much higher possibility. How could I have not thought of it before? Why had I thought of this as just a merry romp through magic? My siblings’ lives (and my own, I was starting to believe) were practically at stake. How could I have not thought of such an important detail?

A light cracked through from above, effectively disrupting this train of thought. I shielded my eyes at the brightness as I heard the Sphinx’s voice call down, “Are you done with your caterwauling yet? Humans…”

“I was singing! Not caterwauling!” I called back impertinently. Then I remembered that currently the riddling wolf was my only chance out of this oubliette. “But I’m done. Why’d I end up down here? I thought I got the riddle right…and don’t Sphinxes commit suicide or go berserk once their riddle has been solved?”

My eyes were starting to return to normal and if I squinted I could see a blurred gray face what looked like five stories above me. I heard shuffling before the wolf answered, “According to The International Code of the Magnificent Sphinx I have two options. I can commit a very painful prolonged suicide or I can become your personal companion.”

“_WHAT?_”

“I said-”

“No,” I interrupted. “I heard that part. What do you mean personal companion?”

Shuffling. “It means I must help you complete your quest or remain by your side until you release me from your service.”

I puzzled that out for a moment. “Does that make you my servant or what?”

“Personal companion,” he stressed. “I have only to accompany you and assist you occasionally so that you complete your test – or die I suppose -- in order to follow the Code.”

“Do you have to follow it?” I asked curiously, forgetting again that I was trapped in an oubliette.

I didn’t know wolves could gasp. I was wrong. “How can you say such a thing? I have never heard anything so disrespectful – it’s an outrage – it’s…” For a second I thought he would have a heart attack.

“Sorry!” I apologized. “I’m from Aboveground, remember? I had no idea - I’m sorry – please don’t take offense.”

The wolf calmed down and sighed. “Just never, ever insult the Code, do you understand, Human?’

“I understand,” I promised. “Look, if you’re my personal companion can you help me with a couple of things?”

“I suppose,” he said edgily.

“Okay,” I said. “First, I have to get to the Castle at the center of the Labyrinth. Do you know the way?”

“No.”

I rolled my eyes. “Okay, do you know how to get out of this oubliette then? I’m not getting anywhere just standing here.”

He barked, and I realized he was laughing at me. “What’s so funny?” I scowled.

“It’s a riddle – that’s the second part of this corridor. You must solve the riddle of the sphinx and then the riddle of the oubliette.”

“Oh,” I said blankly. “What’s the riddle then?”

“Just look around, human!” I was starting to dislike how he kept using my species as an insult, but did as he said.

When I had been given the chance to see again I hadn’t looked around at my surroundings but instead had focused on the Sphinx. Now I could see that I was in an average sized area – no bigger than my bedroom at home -- that had glittery walls and only two items in the room. These were a floor-length mirror and a short wooden table.

Was I supposed to walk through the mirror like Alice in Wonderland? I walked over to it and tried to do so but hit my hand. “Ouch,” I groaned. I stamped my foot and yelled, “What’s the riddle then? There’s nothing written or anything!”

The wolf sighed. “Of course it’s not written, human. That would make it too simple. Just think it out. You’re stuck in a room with no doors or outlets – this hole I’m speaking through does not count. The only thing in the room is a table and a mirror. How do you get out?”

“I don’t know!” I exclaimed. “Why don’t you just tell me if you’re my personal companion?”

“Jareth’s rules,” the wolf said. “And honestly, he has nothing against us citizens of the Labyrinth assisting, as long as we don’t tell answers exactly. Hints are fine and I’ve already given you too much. I’d rather go with the self-inflicted punishment than Jareth’s. One sniff of the Bog and I’d be a goner!”

“So you’re scared of him then?” I hoped that would anger him enough to slip out information.

“No,” he said easily. “I’m scared of the Bog like any sane creature is.” He paused. “I think you’re over-thinking this one, human. It’s not that difficult.”

“So says the master of riddles,” I scoffed. “Alright. I’m in a room with no windows, no doors, and only a table and a mirror. There is no other way out. How do I get out?”

I suddenly remembered one of those horrible jokes that the stupid jock boys liked. It was exactly the same. “You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said in disbelief. “That doesn’t even make sense – it’s the stupidest riddle of all time!”

“You’re in the Labyrinth – things often make little sense.”

I shrugged. I supposed that was lesson two. I turned back to the mirror.

“Okay,” I said facing it. “I’m seeing what I _saw._” My reflection suddenly had a wood saw in her hand. Being careful not to cut myself, I reached towards the mirror and then I found myself with an identical saw in my hand. “I did it!”

I ignored the wolf’s grumbles and kneeled next to the table. “And I’m sawing it apart.” Or rather I tried. Gosh, they made it look easy in the movies! “Hey, personal companion – do you think I could just saw the edge off or something.”

Pause. “It should be enough.”

“Excellent,” I said in my best Bill and Ted imitation, letting myself be a little silly. I worked on the corner of the table until I had an inch taken off and in my hand. “Okay, now I have two parts,” I put down the saw and shoved it away. “And when I put it together I get a _hole_!”

As I pressed together the two pieces the table disappeared and a black circle in the ground showed up. It looked like the Acme kind from Looney Toons.

“Do I jump in this now?” I yelled to the wolf.

“Do all humans ask as many questions you?”

I shook my head in exasperation and headed towards the edge. It was so dark that it seemed to absorb the light of the room. Creepy.

Have I mentioned I’m a little afraid of the dark, or rather what is in the dark? I didn’t want to go in that hole but then I remembered my siblings. Was I going to not rescue them because I was a little scared?

I jumped and remembered too late that I didn’t know where this hole lead to and I could break bones – which was another reason to be afraid of the hole, but too late now.

“AHH!!”

I landed sooner than I expected and crumpled to my knees towards the hard stony ground. Groaning I opened my wincing eyes and found myself to be crouched next to the sphinx, back in the corridor I had started in.

I pushed myself to my feet and said, “I’m not even going to try and comprehend how jumping into a hole under the ground put me above it.”

“Clever,” the sphinx said. I was going to take that as a compliment until he added, “for a human.”

“Ugh, what is with you and being so prejudiced against humans?” I snapped. “I have a name.”

“As do I.”

I resisted the tempting urge to slam my head repeatedly against the stone walls. “Look,” I said in as patient a voice as I could muster. “Thanks for helping me in the oubliette. Now I have to get going – I’ve wasted too much time.”

I turned to storm off but the wolf interrupted. “I have to come along as well.”

“Zeus Almighty!” I exclaimed, turning again. “Haven’t we already gone through this already? I have to go now – you’ve helped me, thanks, but you can go do what you normally do.”

“Unfortunately,” said the wolf glaring. “I have to accompany you until you finish your quest or until you release me from being your personal companion.”

I thought for a moment. “Alright, I release you then.”

Snort. “You can only release me _after_ the quest – or should you fail…”

“Fail?” I asked. “I’m not going to fail. I’m going to get to the castle beyond the Goblin City. You can come with me or you can stay here, but I’m going now. I have no time for this foolishness.”

I turned and stormed off, this time down the corridor barely noticing that the stone walls had suddenly turned to hedges. I did notice the padding of paws and grumbles of ‘human’ that followed me soon after.

Ducking under an arch that had just come over the path I was on, I said. “You know, I have a name.”

“Do you?” grumbled the wolf. “I’m pretty sure we’ve been over this, human.”

“I’m Elisa,” I said ignoring his last comment. “And I’d prefer it if you call me that. Some people call me ‘Lisa, but I don’t like it that much. Do you have a name besides the sphinx/wolf?”

“You may call me Lester,” he said. “Lester Wolf.”

You do understand why I snorted right? And why I could barely control the laughter that had infected my body?

“What’s so funny?” Lester scoffed at my giggling self.

Covering my mouth I was able to stop my laughter. “There’s an infamous wolf back Aboveground named Lester Wolf. He’s notorious for loving pancakes.”

“Pan – cakes?” He asked as if unsure of the word. “What’s that?”

“A breakfast item,” I said dismissively. “I’m sorry - it was rather immature. I just couldn’t help but imagine Rooty Jr. and Spring Chicken when you said that.” I stopped and turned towards him. “Let’s start over. I think we started off on the wrong foot, um, paw.”

I shook my hair back and smiled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Elisa.”

He blinked but growled out, “Likewise. I’m Lester.”

I nodded and started off again rather pleased with myself for fixing an uncomfortable social situation. If only it was that easy to make acquaintances Aboveground.

Keeping walking, I shoved that minor longing out of my mind. Due to the fact that my family moved around so much, I didn’t really make friends well. After transferring two months into my freshman year I’d basically given up. I never knew when I’d come home to learn we’d be moving yet again. Keeping relations up took too much work on both ends of the ‘friendship’. And typically I was the only one willing to make the effort – after years of this it was simply easier to put up with bullies.

Lester and I walked on through the next section of the Labyrinth. The stone walls had dwindled away and green hedges had risen in its place. The ground which had been cracked and dirty before had evolved to trim cobblestone paths. These paths didn’t just stay between corridors of hedges though – some criss-crossed across larger open areas that might have passed as miniature meadows. Topiaries in the shapes of goblins graced corners and basically anywhere. There didn’t seem to be any rhyme, reason, or pattern to these creatures – they were in an assortment of positions that ranged from crude to _seemingly _innocent.

After examining a set of topiaries that involved goblins mooning one another, I asked, “What is this place?”

Lester grunted and padded past me on the path where I had halted, “A garden I suppose. They’re littered through the Labyrinth. They tend to be near the Castle.”

I jogged to catch up to him. “I thought you didn’t know the way to the Castle.”

“I don’t,” said he. “No one does except Jareth. The Labyrinth changes too often to keep track of entirely. However, there are always absolutes that don’t change no matter what.”

“Interesting,” I mused. I turned to the right at an intersection and cheered. “Hey! There’s the Castle! We’re heading in the right direction then, Lester.” I turned back to him.

He nodded his shaggy head. “So it seems.”

I grinned, feeling better that we were on the right track. The hedges had become shorter – about the height of the top of my head allowing me to see above them if I craned my neck. This path I was on now continued onwards for several hundred feet before splitting into a ‘T’-shaped corridor.

Lester and I made our way to the end and I then turned left. A few feet after this turn off though, there was a niche that was about four-feet deep but then ended in a dead end. But in this niche on a pedestal – there must have been holes running through it or something – was a masterful topiary, the most detailed one I had ever seen. It was completely meticulous to its model, down to the very last detail.

It was of Jareth.

Some part of me wanted to snort and guffaw – another part though wanted to examine the topiary closer. I stepped forward, giving in to the latter part of myself. It was amazingly well groomed for a topiary – even the ones in Disney I had seen hadn’t been as amazing as this. I could even see the indentations of where the Goblin King’s eyes would have been. Not to mention a certain bulge…

“Amazing,” I murmured while tilting my head to the side in deeper contemplation. Was it done with magic? Moss sprung from the top of the plant giving the illusion of the Goblin King’s mullet. Before I could help myself I reached out to touch one of the buttons on the topiary’s button before Lester pounced on me knocking me to the side.

I slammed into the side of the corridor and cringed at the feel of thorns and twigs digging in to my face and arm. Lester seemed to have just brushed me but with only so small an action had succeeded in knocking me over.

“Augh!” I yelled. “What in Tartarus did you do that for?” I disentangled myself from the hedge and turned to him, hands on hips.

“Look for yourself,” He snarled. I was too annoyed to be frightened but turned to see that the topiary had disappeared and a large gaping hole was in its place.

“An oubliette?”

“You would have fallen right into it. The only way out of that one leads to the beginning of the Labyrinth.”

I rubbed my head now embarrassed. “Thanks,” I muttered. “I shouldn’t have yelled.”

He huffed and turned into the direction we had previously come from. Luckily the Labyrinth hadn’t changed that path and we were able to head straight forward through the gardens again.

Lester turned towards me as we took a left turn that had us going towards the castle again. “Your head is bleeding.”

“Huh?” I touched my forehead and looked at my finger. I had a _smidgeon_ of blood on it. “I think I’ll live.” I said. Lester still stared at me.

“What?” I asked. An idea came to mind. “You’re not going to go psycho and all blood lust because of this right? Because I never did get to read more than the first chapter of _New Moon_ so I have no idea what you are supposed to do with raving blood-thirsty creatures…”

“I do not get ‘blood lust,’ Elisa.” The sphinx said. His eyes narrowed. “It just ….looks worse than you are letting on. Humans tend to overreact about such things.”

“I tend to as well,” I said. I realized we had stopped walking and I started again. “It’s just that – well, with my siblings’ lives on the line I sort of realize it’s not important enough to make a big deal out of. If I was in pain or something maybe I’d react more but I don’t think the Labyrinth is the only thing that changes. The Runner changes too.”

He nodded and we walked onward in a comfortable silence for sometime. The gardens didn’t change all that much and I lost track of the countless topiaries, water fountains, and benches I’d seen. The benches almost looked inviting until I remembered Theseus and Pirithious and then I pushed on even faster.

Lester kept up with my pace and even pushed me onwards when I slowed to look at something or other. We didn’t speak but we worked together silently until we heard the clatter of feet. Many feet.

We halted, and I spun around trying to see where the sound had come from but could see nothing. As suddenly as the noise began, it stopped.

“What was that?” I whispered, changing my voice level on instinct.

Lester had crouched into more of a defensive position and growled quietly, “Not sure, but whatever it was it’s not good.”

On cue, a squeaky voice called out, “Now?”

“Now?”

“Now?”

“Did someone say now?”

“Isn’t that when we supposed to go?”

“I didn’t say now!”

“Derbish Nob said now!”

“No’s I didn’t! I didn’t say now-”

“He said now!”

“CHARGE!!”

As Lester and I stood in disbelief at this odd conversation, the goblin army stormed the open area we were in, blocking all of the exits.

Now, in the movie I had laughed through the battle scene. Everyone who watched it did. The goblins were pathetic and you couldn’t help but think, “This is the best that Jareth’s got?” Then, I’m here in the Labyrinth in real life and I realize something - Klutzes carrying sharp pointy objects are equally as dangerous if not more so than a trained professional.

I was torn between laughing at their foolishness or give in to my usual side and scream in terror. Instead I went for the in-between place and froze as a little laugh escaped.

The goblins – there must have been thirty or so -- moved into a circle around Lester and me. This was my first actual experience (minus the one that Jareth threw at my head) with them and I was rather pleased to see that they were as they were in the movie. However those jousting things looked a lot sharper in real life.

“Um, hi?” I offered in scared voice. “Do you mind moving? I’m kind of being timed now and though it’s nice to meet you, I’ve got to go…”

“King’s order!” An orange-haired one piped up. “Jareth says we to ‘de-tain’ you as we see fit!”

“Yeah!”

“Yeah’s that what he said!”

“King’s orders!”

I gripped a strand of my hair and tugged. Bad habit. “Er, um, well that’s good but haven’t you ever thought of disobeying him?”

“What?”

“What?”

“What she say?”

Muttering some choice words, I turned to Lester. He was in the same defensive position and seemed ready to spring. “Lester,” I hissed as the goblins continued to argue. “What are we going to do?”

“I’ll take this side and you’ll take the other?”

“What?! No way –”

“Or you can have this side and I’ll take the other. I’m not too picky about which one’s I take out…”

“Lester!” I exclaimed. “I don’t know how to fight! Well at least not anything other that SING – and besides we can’t hurt them! They’re so little!”

The goblin with the orange hair tapped me with his spear-thing then. “Ai!” I yelped and spun. “What?”

“You the girl-who-said-the-words-right?”

That took a moment to process. “Yeah…”

“See! Right girl! Now what?”

Red eyes grew bright- “Bog!”

Suddenly they were all cheering it. “Bog! Bog! Bog!”

“The bog?” I asked in horror.

“The bog!” They cheerfully exclaimed as they started to push and press Lester and I towards the direction they wanted to go.

“Lester!” I cried out in no certain direction as I couldn’t see him in the swarm of the army. “What are we going to do?”

“It’s a little late for Plan A…”

“Your plan?” I asked in disbelief, trying to shove away the goblins. I had no success though – there were too many of them and they had those spears. “We can’t hurt them!”

“Do you want to go to the bog?” A tone of disgust.

“Never mind!” I said. I shoved again and tried elbowing my way out but it was futile. These things seemed unstoppable!

I started to yell. Now when I yell, in case you haven’t noticed so far – I really, really yell. My mom says you can hear me in Poland when I scream back in the states. It’s not that much of an exaggeration due to the fact that I get a lot of practice because I’m scared of most everything under the sun.

“HELP! SOMEBODY HELP! LET ME GO YOU DAMN GOBLINS! LEAVE ME ALONE! HELP! HELP! HELP! AHHH!! I DON’T WANT TO GO TO THE BOG! HELP! HELP!!...”

The goblins winced at how loud and shrill I was and stepped back away from Lester and me in order to cover their ears.

“Run!” shouted Lester as he took off, pushing through the weakened army. After a split seconds hesitation I ran as well after the sphinx.

Lester had the assistance of four legs and strength and was able to get ahead easily. The sound of the mediocre army recovering and starting to chase spurred me onward though Lester was still far ahead. I followed him, not really focusing on where I was going – only on getting away from the goblins behind me.

We were back in the hedge-y area of the maze. As I practically flew past these twists and turns, I realized in a part of my mind that wasn’t in panic that Lester was leading us back the way we came.

“LESTER!” pant, pant, “We’re going away from the castle!” pant, pant.

The goblins’ clatter was closer. Lester yelled back without losing a single stride, “You can stay and face _them!”_

I turned, slowing down and saw the army a hundred or so feet back. “Yikes!” I shrieked before picking up the pace.

Suddenly, a winged _thing_ came flying down from the sky and swooped over my head. I ducked, though it was farther ahead, but kept running. Lester had suddenly stopped and was now staring in the direction we had come in. Panting, I turned to see what it was that caused him to halt.

The green winged being was attacking the goblins. Attacking wasn’t quite the right term though – the green one dove in from the air pecking at their helmets and hair – circling around and cackling madly. The well, _thing,_ moved extremely quickly and I could barely make out where it was – let alone _what _it was. Soon the goblins were dashing away from the flying being; who I realized was actually herding them like a sheepdog in the direction he wished them to go.

It would have been funny except for the fact that I had just run for my life. I just panted helplessly as the green flier herded them out of my and Lester’s sight. The outraged cries of the goblins continued for another minute or so before elongated screams started suddenly. Then it was amazingly quiet in the Labyrinth except for the cackles of the green being.

The aforementioned practically _sailed_ through the air – performing a couple of loop-de-loops before landing on the wall to the side of Lester and me. As he rested I saw who and what he was.

“You’re the dragon from earlier!” I exclaimed.

He tilted his head before nodding and saying, “You’re the human who doesn’t know how to ask a question.”

“I know now!” I said firmly.

“Would you mind explaining this?” asked Lester grumpily.

“Oh!” I said, realizing I had left him out. “Sure. I untied this dragon earlier from the beginning of the Labyrinth. He gave me a little help but not much because I didn’t ask the right question.”

“Humans,” muttered Lester and the dragon. That seemed to connect them for a moment as Lester inclined his head and said, “I be Lester Wolf of the Sphinx.”

The dragon inclined his head as well and said, “I be Glaw of the Sage Tribe.” The two nodded yet again before they both turned towards me.

“Um, I be Elisa Manning of the Aboveground.” I offered tentatively.

The two nodded and I nodded with them. They stared at me for a moment when I realized what needed to be done.

“Lester is my um, personal companion. We’re heading to the Castle beyond the Goblin City.” I said as an idea came to mind as Glaw stretched his wings. “Wait!”

He halted and I continued quickly. “Thank you for getting rid of the Goblins, Glaw.”

Glaw bounced his body for a moment before saying hastily, “It was really no trouble at all. I haven’t done any good scaring since I’ve been tied up there! That’s what us Dragons are supposed to do you know – we’re to scare, and plunder and hoard and gorge and…”

I believe he would have continued on for the rest of my allotted time if I hadn’t interrupted him. “Perhaps you’d like to travel with us then Glaw? Your ability to fly would be incredibly helpful in leading us to the Castle. You’ll get to the Goblin City eventually and be able do whatever you Dragons do best.”

The dragon tilted his head to the side for a moment before saying, “Payment?”

“What?” I asked in confusion.

“I’ve been locked up for years – I need to start up my hoard again. Payment will be a good start.” Glaw said matter-of-factly.

“Oh,” I said softly. Stupid me. I pulled off the bracelet from my wrist and held it out to him. “Is this sufficient?”

The red in his eyes stood out as he examined it from his perch. “What is it made of?” He asked warily.

“Plastic,” I said smiling despite myself. I knew where _this_ was going-

“No!” said Glaw.

-or not.

“What do you mean no?” I asked in disbelief.

“He means, Elisa, that he doesn’t want it,” said Lester grouchily again.

“I know that!” I shouted. Lowering my tone, I continued, “I thought plastic was a rare commodity down here?”

“It is!” nodded Glaw, energetically. “I don’t collect it though – I’d waste all my time looking for it. It’s better to collect things that are common as it’ll be easier to stock up my hoard!”

“That’s very interesting,” I said in thought. “I never thought about it that way before.” I slipped the bracelet back on my wrist. “So you want something metal then?”

Glaw nodded and I bit my lip in annoyance. There was obviously only one choice here on what to do but I didn’t want to give up my necklace that I had bought with my own money.

A memory then came to me of Jenny staring in awe at what I had bought after I had come out of the store. She had begged to have one just like it too, but I had said no as I wanted to have something _I_ only had for once.

Returning to the here and now, I resolved to buy her an identical necklace the minute we got home and I slipped off the necklace from under my blue top. I held it out to Glaw and asked if it was suitable.

To my surprise he leaned back after I had held it out. Glaw nearly fell off of the top of the hedge maze but soon recovered his balance and barely croaked, “Why didn’t you say so?”

“Huh?” I asked intelligently.

“You have the sign of the Goblin King!” said Lester in awe.

That was then I realized something was _really_ wrong. “Oh no,” I said. “This thing?” I held it up. It glinted innocently in the light. “I bought this at a store at home. There’s about twenty of them there at the very least. And besides – why would he give me a sign when he kidnapped my brother and-”

“It does seem unlike him,” said Glaw dubiously.

“Very so,” agreed Lester. “He didn’t even give anything to the Last Champion and everyone knew about his feelings for her.”

I didn’t quite understand that but I felt that it was useful to my cause so I said, “See? It’s just an ordinary brooch on a chain. Nothing to worry about. It’s only lame metal. It’s not even real gold or bronze.”

This seemed to convince them. “So will you accept it as payment for leading us to the Castle?” I asked hopefully.

Glaw paused before shaking his head. “No-no. King wouldn’t be happy ‘bout the likes of me having that.” I started to protest but he continued. “Doesn’t matter if it is his or not – it’ll look bad since he caught me those years ago. Bit of an outlaw if y’know what I mean.”

My crestfallen face must have shown for he suddenly tipped his head to the side. “But the chain’s rather nice. It’s just a brooch attached you said…?”

“Yes, yes, it is,” I hopefully said. The brooch was removed, and I held out the chain to him. Glaw took one glance at it, and then seemed to exchange glances with Lester. The latter nodded and turned to me.

“Elisa,” said Lester. “Maybe it’d be better to have it just in case – you could always give it to Glaw once you’ve made it to the castle…” The dragon nodded. I didn’t quite see their point, but time was a-wasting!

“Alright then,” I agreed. “So do we have an accord then?” The dragon nodded.

“Oh, thank you!” I said warmly. Reattaching the chain, and then throwing it back around my neck, I continued. “Can we get started though? I’m afraid we’ve used up so much of my time already.”

Before the words were out of my mouth Glaw started off and Lester and I exchanged glances before following.

As we walked a thought came to mind and I said, “Do you think the goblins will come after us again?”

“I doubt it,” said Lester. “They’re in an oubliette that leads to outside of the Labyrinth. Jareth won’t spare anymore of his goblins on us unless we reach the City I suppose.”

“How do you know they’re in an oubliette though Lester?” I asked.

“Part of the job I suppose. I know where they all are – where the exits are – and how to set them off.”

We kept walking as I pondered this in silence. My companions were now a blood-thirsty wolf who knew where all the oubliettes were in the Labyrinth and a hyper dragon whose greatest enjoyment in life was antagonizing people. Not to mention they seemed to both be prejudiced against my species.

“Good going Elisa,” I muttered as I walked onward.


	12. Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole thing was planned. Certain words were to be said and certain rules were to be followed. Elisa is not your average Laby-fan, and she is going to prove that you do not have to be a Mary-Sue or be Sarah to run the Labyrinth. Cliche bashing galore!

**Chapter Twelve**

Case turned away from Ratter’s long-winded explanation of the oubliette when he heard the crash. Jareth had stood up and the remains of his crystals were smashed on the ground on the opposite end of the throne room. He looked furious. A couple of goblins rushed over to take care of the mess.

“You alright Mr. Jareth?” called Jenny.

With an annoyed look on his face, he turned towards the brother and sister. He strode towards them, and said, “Of course, I am. You’ll become used to the sound of a crystal smashing.”

“We shouldn’t be here that long,” said Case. “Elisa’s going to be here soon.”

Jareth went down on one knee and he was eye-to eye with the now shrinking Case. “Do you not pay attention?” He asked quietly. “Your sister just fell into an oubliette. She’ll not make her way out of it.”

“Sure she will,” said Jenny – but she said it almost as if she was starting to doubt. “The dwarf will come and then you’ll send the spinning things after her.”

Jareth raised his eyes to the sky for a long moment. Case didn’t quite understand why he did that, so he looked up too. There was nothing interesting there. He looked back at Jareth who was now shaking his blond head. “Though that is what happened when the Last Champion ran the Labyrinth it isn’t necessarily what will happen as your sister traverses it. Hogbrain vanished years ago as well,” he added almost as an after-thought.

Case didn’t quite understand that but just repeated his earlier statement. “Elisa’s going to be here soon.”

“When is it going to get into your little scrawny head that Elisa is not going to make it here?” Jareth hissed. He stood and began to pace. “Only a handful have defeated the Labyrinth – your sister isn’t made up of the same substance. Even if she did make it here – she wouldn’t make her way out.”

“Yes she will!” pressed Case. “She knows the words – she’s not going to forget them like the other girl.” He nudged his sister. “Right, Jen?”

“Yeah – she does,” she hesitantly added.

“There are reasons,” Jareth said flippantly and continued pacing. “Other reasons why Elisa would fail.” He stopped facing the two. “But that isn’t important right now. We have other things to take care of.”

He strode towards them and went down on one knee again. With a gloved hand, the King grabbed Case’s chin and stared intently at his young face. Case squirmed but the grip was strong, not digging in, and he couldn’t move. Case tried to not make eye-contact with the King – but the boy was gripped in such a way that he couldn’t help but meet his bi-colored eyes. In the movie he had never noticed that Jareth’s eyes were two different colors – but now could see the left was a clear blue while the other was darker – nearly black for the pupil took the eye over.

Jareth didn’t just examine Case’s face though – he gripped at his lips and pulled them back so he could see his teeth as if he were a rescue dog and poked him in the stomach a few times. After this odd procedure he turned towards Jen – who had been staring at the whole thing in confusion – and began the whole thing again on her.

Case rubbed his chin and grimaced once he realized that Jareth was intent enough on Jenny. She looked a little scared but Case couldn’t really do anything for her. At last when Jareth had finished with his actions – he stood and walked back away from them. Jenny repeated the rubbing chin gesture that Case had performed and they stared at the King.

“How old are you?” he asked suddenly. The goblins were still in their normal state of mischief making around him and Jareth barely noticed them – and the goblins didn’t seem to notice as well that something different was going on.

“Ten and nine,” Case said.

Jareth tilted his head for a long moment of contemplation. At last he nodded, sinking back into his throne easily. “You’ll do nicely.”

“What?”

“As heirs of course,” Jareth said lazily.

“What does that mean?” questioned Jenny. Case was thinking though. He’d heard it before, hadn’t he…

“Next in line for the crown,” Jareth said. “Adopted children if you will.”

“No way!” shouted Case. The blond man shifted his glance towards the male wished-away, eyebrow quirked.

“No way?” he mocked. “Pray tell, how so?”

Case felt slightly unsure, but out of the corner of his eye he saw Jenny. She wasn’t _right_. This spurred him on. “First, we have parents. We’re not going to become _your_ kids.”

Jareth snorted. “Do you think I care?”

“And,” Case continued fiercely. “We’re not little kids. Do we look like we want to be…” he tried to find the right word. “Royalty?”

The Goblin King smirked, shifting his position. “Yes, you do.” His tone changed. “Wouldn’t you like to be a princess, Gwenhwyfar?”

“Her name’s Jen!” shouted Case. He turned to his sister. “You tell him, Jenny.”

Jenny stood still, before saying, “It’s kinda pretty isn’t it Case? Better than Jenny or Jennifer…”

Case’s eyes widened in horror, but Jareth broke in. “It’s a perfectly lovely name, isn’t it? Suiting for a beautiful young girl like yourself.”

Case watched Jenny blush, and wring her hands in her nightgown. He felt suddenly protective. “Don’t listen to him, Jen!” He hissed near her ear, hopefully too quiet for Jareth to hear. “Elisa said he lies! It’s a trick!”

Jenny looked to him and said just as quietly, “What if Elisa’s wrong? What if we’re wrong?”

Jareth’s voice cut into their confiding. “Of course, if it is too unsatisfactory of a living – having everything you wanted, and powers beyond what you have dreamed of – I suppose I could always turn you into goblins.”

_Goblins. _The word echoed in his ears. How bad would that be? To be stuck like _them_ constantly arguing and squabbling. Not knowing much. Stinking. Never seeing Mom and Dad and his sisters again. _NO!_

Case came back to the present, and raised his chin defiantly to the King – braver than he actually felt. Case realized that Jenny had nuzzled herself into his chest and had his arms around him. This wasn’t the only thing that worried him (though Jenny and Case were close and Jenny was affectionate – she never hugged him or anything. Their relationship consisted of tattling, warily getting along, and hitting the other when the older ones weren’t looking.) What really worried him was the mantra Jenny was muttering:

“Please be telling the truth -- don’t wanna be a goblin - Elisa isn’t coming - please be telling the truth – don’t wanna be a goblin – Elisa isn’t coming…”

Case pulled her to the edge of the room, a place mostly devoid of goblins, but still having a good view of Jareth who suddenly had started yelling for the goblins to detain Elisa. Case’s heart beat furiously, but the more quiet side of himself that hardly came into place warned him he could do nothing but take care of Jenny now. As about half of the goblins – and more from the city, he could hear – rushed out, he tried to calm Jenny and get her to listen to his side of things but she didn’t seem to be listening to anything he said.

It was much later on, when the two siblings were leaning against the wall, bored, when the goblins stopped their revelry abruptly. Case looked up to see why it was so quiet - this was the quietest he had probably ever heard them. They all seemed to be listening to something only they could hear.

Jareth didn’t seem to be paying any attention to this far off sound except for the quickened thwacking of his stick thing against his throne. He had that same look of grouchiness that had been on his face for the past hour so when he had heard that Elisa had escaped the goblin army _and_ had them dumped in an oubliette. There was also something about a dragon but Case wasn’t really paying attention to that – Jenny was starting to worry him. Jenny never daydreamed, and never lost focus. Not always a good thing – but she was always there, never in the la-la land Elisa lived in.

“Can you hear it?” she whispered to Case.

“Hear what?” he asked.

“A girl,” she said.

Case strained his ears yet heard nothing. He grunted and asked, “How come you can hear it?”

“Don’t know,” she said. “Shh…”

* * *

Allison ignored her sister’s begging to get on the computer. She kept typing her email that exclaimed over the zaniness of Jareth, The Goblin King’s clothes.

“Leave me alone!” Allison shouted – still typing yet somehow managing to elbow her little sister in the nose.

“Ow!” her sister cried. “I’m calling Dad!”

“No you won’t,” said Allison smartly. “You’re just saying that – you’re too chicken.”

Still having a hand over her nose her sister said, “Watch me,” and then rushed out of the room.

Allison shrugged and moved back to her computer and continued typing. She had just hit send when her sister marched into the room smugly and handed the house phone to Allison. Then she was graced with her father scolding her for hurting her sister, hogging the computer, and not being responsible while they were home alone.

At the end of the long winded speech she was able to get him to stop once she had agreed to apologize to her sister and give up the computer. And no tricks allowed.

“Fine!” Allison exclaimed and hung up. She got out of the computer chair and her sister slid into it immediately.

“Dad says I have to say I’m sorry,” she said. “So fine then – I’m sorry you’re my sister. You’re a brat. You’re annoying and you never do anything you’re supposed. All you do is cause trouble.” A stroke of inspiration hit her. “And you know what? I wish the goblins would come and take you away right now.”

* * *

Suddenly something must have happened then that Case couldn’t hear, for the goblins were groaning amongst themselves yet again

“Movie words!” cried one with a blue, round nose

“Movie words,” another one agreed sadly.

“Why don’t she say the words like the Last- ” something must have clicked then. “But the new girl said the words!”

“Yeah!”

“Yeah!”

“Yeah, that girl said the words!”

There was a great pause as all the goblins turned to one another in confusion.

“Who is the girl?” Ratter asked.

None seemed to find an answer so Case piped up, “She’s Elisa. She’s my sister.”

“Yeah, yeah, she Elisa – who is she?” said Nog.

“She’s Elisa,” said Case slowly. “She’s my sister. She’s Jenny’s sister.”

“Nah,” said Morag. “Last Champion was the girl-who-ate-the-peach-and-forgot-everything. Who she?”

Case didn’t quite understand that so he turned to Jenny and shrugged. She was staring off into space daydreaming like Elisa sometimes did.

But Jenny never did that. Never, ever. If Case was worried before he was really worried now. But what could he do? It wasn’t like Jenny would listen to him if he told her to do something. But what was he supposed to do?

What if Elisa didn’t make it?

Case took a deep breath and turned back to the goblins. He said, “She’s the girl-who’s-going-to-make-it.”

As the goblins whispered in awe at their new discovery, Case noticed Jareth out of the corner of his eye. His face was as deep in thought as Jenny’s was – and the tapping of the stick thing had slowed completely. He was staring into the crystal at the top of the stick where Case knew only one person could be: Elisa.

* * *


	13. Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole thing was planned. Certain words were to be said and certain rules were to be followed. Elisa is not your average Laby-fan, and she is going to prove that you do not have to be a Mary-Sue or be Sarah to run the Labyrinth. Cliche bashing galore!

**Chapter Thirteen**

“The answer,” I said, rolling my eyes. “Is man. He crawls as a baby – he walks upright as an adult, and leans on a cane in old age.”

“That’s one of my hardest ones!” groaned Lester.

“Let me guess – it’s a classic one among sphinxes?” I offered. To pass the time while walking, Lester was trying to challenge me with his riddles.

He turned sharply. “How did you know that? You don’t have a copy of the Code, do you?”

“No, I don’t,” I emphasized yet again. “A infamous sphinx Aboveground said that riddle to Oedipus – the answer was written down. Nearly everyone knows the answer to that riddle – and all the others you’vegiven me so far.” I paused and thought for a moment. “The first one you gave me before I fell into the oubliette was the hardest of all of them.”

“Well it is a not heard often one,” said he hedging. “I made it up.”

Oops. Now I really felt guilty. “It was a really good riddle,” I offered. “I barely got it.”

He still was drooping his head slightly. Oh great – that guilt was still welling up in my stomach. “Um, er, are you any good at riddles, Lester?” I asked.

“I am,” He said a little grumpily still. “I have to be.”

“Well,” I said. “There’s a riddle that’s puzzled the Aboveground for years. Maybe you could solve it?”

There was a hesitant pause. “I’ll try.” He tried to sound grumpy again but he gave away his eagerness.

“Okay,” I said. I cleared my throat and asked, “_How is a raven like a writing desk_?”

Silence. I left Lester to his own thoughts as he worked on that riddle. We came to a fork then and we stopped, waiting for Glaw to come back. He’d gone off to look ahead awhile ago. He tended to come back to Lester and me around the forks and he helped us on choosing which way to go.

The sound of wings was not present so I looked at the forks myself out of curiosity. The path to the left led to a dark hole and what looked like stairs winding around it. The right path seemed to lead to a large meadow where the glimmering of water could be seen in the distance and the slight wisp of smoke. But best of all was the Castle that rose behind it – though still as far as ever.

It was then that Glaw’s wings and cackles could be heard. He received such a joy from just the sheer of act of flying he couldn’t stop the cackling. I was already becoming accustomed to it and we’d only been walking/flying the three of us for an hour at most. Lester was too busy with his riddle to complain as usual.

I bit my lip and stayed very still as Glaw came swooping down and his claws grabbed my shoulder. He had also decided that I was a decent landing zone. I decided to just suck it up and that I was going to be visibly bruised after this journey.

Hey, if I got any scars at least I’d have an interesting story to explain them! Yeah right – my mom was going to kill me when she got home. She’s going to think I had snuck out or something but I really couldn’t do anything about that now. Instead I just winced at Glaw’s claws and the bad rhyme.

“Good flight?” I asked still wincing. Glaw relaxed his claws somewhat and then said in that odd, bouncy, way of his, “Oh yes. Very good. Wind’s just perfect. I was almost able to complete a double back flip changeover when I was able to see – we’re more than half-way to the castle!”

“We are?” I asked in disbelief. “That’s brilliant! So we’re on the right track then?”

“Sort of,” said Glaw hedging. “We have two choices – we can take that route on the left.” He gestured with his tail towards the stairs that led below. “That will take quite a while – nearly the rest of your time.” I shook my head. “The other path is not much better. There is a hermit who guards the stream up ahead. None who have tried to pass her have survived.”

I looked to Lester to find out what his opinion was but apparently that riddle still had him completely confounded. Darn, that left me to pick between the two directions. And I didn’t think ‘Eeny, meeny, miny, mo’ would work in this situation.

So which way to choose? The safer path that could take too long to finish or the nearly certain death? My pre-Labyrinth self was inching towards the stairs saying that at least I had an adventure and that Case and Jen would at least have an amusing life as goblins. My newer self – which I was starting to confuse with my conscience - was saying something along the lines of ‘&# this! Go and kick some hermit butt!’

On second thought – my conscience tends to not swear profusely. And also tends to blush at the mention of any nether regions of the body. Definitely not my conscience.

“We head to the stream,” I said in as steady a voice as I could muster.

“Did you hear me?” squawked Glaw. “None that have tried to pass her have survived!”

Starting to walk – though somewhat slowed due to the weight on my shoulders -- I said, “I heard you. But there is a first for everything.” I turned, and kept walking but backwards. “Lester! Are you coming?”

He nodded vaguely as he began to follow me not really noticing where he was going as he muttered about feet and holes. Satisfied that he was coming along, I turned back and continued onward with Glaw still perched on my shoulders.

I walked, unbalanced like that for a while before I piped up, “Aren’t you going to fly ahead Glaw?”

“Not a chance!” He said. “You can go first – I’m not going to be the first one there.”

“I thought things weren’t what they seemed here?” I asked.

“Some things aren’t but a few are – the hermit is one of them. After all-” he broke off suddenly.

“After all, what?” I repeated. “What do you mean?”

Glaw didn’t answer. He stayed the way he was for several minutes. I stopped as well and turned to Lester to see if he knew what was going on with the dragon. He was of little help though for he had taken up the same expression as Glaw – as if he was listening to something far away and had to strain to hear it.

I bit my lip and tried to stay still, annoyed that the two of them were part of some-thing I wasn’t. But then again, I _was_ from a different plane of existence.

The two of them suddenly shook their heads fiercely and returned to their normal state of beings. If Lester’s normal state _was_ deep in thought over a solution-less riddle.

I started to walk yet again, Lester trailing behind again. “Care to explain the randomness moment, Glaw?”

He shifted his position, digging his claws into my shoulders yet again. As I sup-pressed a yelp he said, “It was another one trying to wish a sibling away.”

“Huh?”

“Do you think you’re the only one that has wished away somebody?” He asked. “Ever since the movie millions have tried to wish away people.”

“I didn’t think I was the only one…I thought loads had until I said the words in the movie.” I said.

He cackled. “It’s rather funny – they all throw fits. All crying about how they’d be perfect for Jareth and they are his one true love…”

“Except me,” I said softly.

“Exactly!” He said enthusiastically. “You’re the first to say the right words since the Last Champion.”

“His Majesty told me,” I nodded. A question came to mind. “So you were able to hear the wishing away then?”

“Yes, yes,” said Glaw. “Those who live in the Labyrinth – most – can hear those who are about to wish away. Even if the real words aren’t said. The goblins and those in the castle can see it too I know. Happened to me once when terrorizing some chickens…”

He started to recall his tale and I half-listened while focusing on the little grass shack up ahead. The bit of smoke I had seen before was coming from its chimney. I could just see the stream behind it.

We trooped onward as Glaw told his tale, and Lester mumbled incoherently. Just as we were a hundred or so feet before the house Lester returned to normality and stopped his odd mumblings.

“Did you solve it?” I asked.

“Solve it?” He scoffed. “I solved it ages ago, minutes after you told me it. I was trying to figure out who it was that told it. It _was_ a long time ago though it definitely had some Alice characteristics.”

I stared at him shocked, while trying to come up with an answer to _that _statement. None came to mind and I was pulled from my racing thoughts by Glaw’s yells.

“Stop! Stop! Stop!”

I halted abruptly, and nearly toppled into the stream. I shrieked and waved my arms wildly trying to regain my balance before falling backwards onto my bum, toes a centimeter from the water.

It took me a moment to regain my breath and natural sanity before saying firmly, “You know – getting wet isn’t the end of the world.”

“Maybe,” said Lester who nodded towards the water. I noticed he didn’t seem to have had the problem of being so absent-minded, that he didn’t notice the obstacles before him, like I did. “But what’s in there could.”

Alarmed, I looked at the water and saw nothing. Sure there were some ripples in the water but that was it. I stared quizzically at the water about to say there was nothing besides fish – which I wasn’t going to admit I had a huge fear of – when I saw a long and skinny shadow weave its way through the water.

I shoved myself backwards and whimpered. I hated unknown things that people say are dangerous and that I had to face!

“I don’t think I want to know what that is.” I said shakily.

“Then I suggest you get away from my stream.”

I shot upwards – Glawhad finally gotten off of my shoulders, and he now circled above Lester and me. I turned towards the crisp voice to see an odd creature. The voice’s owner was a female, about three feet tall. Her age was hard to place as her face was incredibly round and she had large blue eyes that took up most of her face. She had straggly red hair and held a spear in her hand, while being clothed of a knee-length blue dress that looked like it was made out of leaves.

But leaves weren’t ever blue, right?

I blinked a few times at the little person before saying, “Your stream? I thought it was the hermit’s.”

“I _am_ the hermit,” she said snottily.

Repeat the vague blinks. “Oh,” I said. “I didn’t know.”

“You’re not supposed to,” she said, gesturing with her spear. “Jareth spread the rumor about enough that as long as I keep the smoke going in the shack, everyone will stay away.” Her huge eyes narrowed. “Except for foolish ones like you.”

She jumped forward and held her spear horizontally as if to bar us from passing. “None may pass, unless…” she trailed off leaving the threat hanging there.

“Unless, what?” I asked in confusion.

“Unless you wish to face the waters on your own.” She said coolly.

I glanced back at the stream again. It wasn’t that wide I supposed, maybe twenty feet at the most but it looked deep. The shadows in the water lurked still.

I turned back to petite hermit. “What exactly would happen if we faced the waters?”

“In the water is a rare species of eel – an electric eel to be exact.” She said somewhat proudly.

“Rare?” I scoffed. “They’re common enough back home.”

“Yes, but not here.” She said sternly. “As they are so rare and aren’t a natural part of Underground waters they cause a reaction in the water. If you enter the water you’ll become electrocuted.”

I winced and turned towards Lester. He seemed to be confused so I said, “It’s not good.”

Glaw decided at that moment to land next to me. Dust kicked up from the landing and surrounded most of the hermit.

“Ugh,” she groaned. “Keep your dust to yourself, Dragon-boy.” She patted herself down.

He ignored the hermit and turned to me and Lester. “I’ve been here – before I was caught – since it’s here this journey you have to cross it. It’s wider up and downstream though. ”

“So we have no other choice but to turn back here or cross.” Said Lester glumly. “Why didn’t you suggest going the other way?”

“I did,” Glaw said. “But did Elisa listen? Nope!”

I was thinking though on what the hermit had said and then asked, “Well – isn’t there a way to cross? If this is your river – and you are the guardian of it, don’t you have to cultivate it? How do you cross?”

“I have my ways…” she said trialing off. “And don’t think I’ll let you by or my name isn’t Aquina of the Backwaters!” She said fiercely.

“That explains things,” growled Lester. “She’s a pixie, captured and away from home. Usually you don’t see them as slaves in these parts though.”

“That’s none of your business,” Aquina snapped. “It’s not often that you see a sphinx abandoning his post.”

Sensing a fight, I intervened, “Well would you accept any form of payment? I have to get to the castle soon.”

“Do I look like the sort that takes bribes?” she sneered. “No, definitely not.”

I sighed. “This is hopeless. We better head back now. Maybe if we run we’ll get there in time.” I grabbed a lock of my hair and pulled, trying not to let my frustration show more than that. Unfortunately, I grabbed the chain of my necklace and practically choked my self.

I coughed, and let go, causing it to fall out from my pajama top. The look on Aquina’s already wide eyes was priceless.

“My lady! I had no idea!” She said quickly. “I’ll have you across in just a moment! Apologies!” She prostrated herself in an odd bow that had her head on the ground and he arms stretched before her.

With no idea what to do, I just stared at her with a look of confusion. Glawnudged me from the side and I gave myself a slight shake before saying, “You do that then.” I nodded as she jumped up and practically ran over to the stream.

“I guess the necklace was a good idea,” I whispered to Lester and Glaw. “But I can’t let her believe I’m some lady of some sort.”

“Do you want to cross?” hissed Glaw. “I can get across on my own but you and Lester can’t.”

“I know,” I said, starting to follow Aquina who was at the bank of the stream waiting for us. “But I hate being thought of as a Lady. I feel like a Sue.”

“Sue?” questioned Lester.

I shuddered. “The world’s evilest creation – the Mary-Sue.”

“Really?” asked Lester. “I always thought that it was a Hydra or the Bog.”

“Hush!” I said. I turned to the pixie – odd I had never pictured them as such. “If you’ll let us across now…”

“Of course!” she said nervously. She turned back towards the water and stood at the edge. With her toes just over the edge she did a sudden front flip off and stabbed her spear downwards in front of her.

Like Moses crossing the Red Sea, the water suddenly split on either sides of her so that only the dry river bed was before and behind her. The water rose up high above her head, held up by some magic, on either side of the pathway.

“Quickly!” she called back to us, spear still stuck firmly in the river bed.

I didn’t stop to wait for my companions, but instead just ran across, shielding my head somewhat from the slight spray that reached me. I weaved around Aquina and made it up to the permanently dry land. Lester came up moments later, while Glaw opted to fly over.

Aquina then started to walk backwards toward us. Her spear remained buried in the ground, and she dragged it as she carefully moved back towards this bank. As she reached the incline she suddenly jumped backwards, pulling the spear from the ground. She landed between Lester and me and the water flooded back so that the stream was normal again.

Still a little shocked by this turn of events I said, “Well, that was neat.”

“Neat?” asked Glaw, hovering again. “That wasn’t clean.”

Wrinkling my brow I tried again, “It was interesting.”

“Ah,” said Glaw shutting it.

I turned to the pixie. “Thank you so much for that. We’re really short on time though so we have to go now.”

“You’re not going to tell him that I wasn’t going to let you across, right?” Aquina asked worriedly. “I had no idea – you never said that you were under the protection of his Majesty.”

I suppressed a slight laugh, “I think I’m as far away from being under his protection as possible. He’s tried to hurt me too many times to count since I got here.” Pause. “That might have been because I knocked him unconscious but you never know…”

“Wait – you’re a runner?”

“Yep,” I nodded. “And I’ve used up way too much of my time already.”

“No!” she wailed, sinking to her knees. “You can’t be! You can’t!”

“Um, I am,” I said. “What’s so wrong with that?”

“You had his sign,” Aquina moaned. “Oh, I’ll never return home now!”

I felt guilty suddenly. “Here, you can have it if you want,” I said giving her the necklace. “I’m sorry and all but I have to go…”

“I wasn’t supposed to let anyone pass – especially runners!” she cried.

“That could be a problem,” said Lester sarcastically.

I ignored the wolf and turned back to Aquina, “I tricked you, - maybe it doesn’t count then.” She shook her head, her big eyes filled with despair.

“You don’t understand! His Majesty ordered me to guard this river. He said if I let none pass that he didn’t want to pass for five years I’d be free to return home!”

My eye-brow rose.

“Terms of slavery are usually thirteen years, Elisa,” said Glaw. “Pixies hardly survive that long if they’re put to work indoors. Aquina here fell into a nice job before she blew it.”

She let out a heart-wrenching wail then. I have to say that even though she was being a bit over the top, I felt sorry for her.

“Look,” I said. “We’re all heading to the castle. Why don’t you come with us? Maybe I can explain to him that I tricked you.”

“Would you?” she asked hopefully.

“I’ll do what I can,” I promised. “But only if we can leave right now. We’ve wasted enough time as it is. Are we cool then?”

“Cool?” they all asked at the same time.

“Um,” I fumbled. “Are we all good to go?”

“Why didn’t you just say that?” growled Lester, turning and walking towards vaguely woody area that was before the castle. The next section looked like an attempt at a forest, but failed in how sparse it was. Unlike the rest of the Labyrinth I had ventured through, it looked dried out and pale.

I turned back to Aquina and Glaw but the latter had already take off after the wolf. Motioning to follow, I turned back and followed the male half of the newly founded quartet.

Aquina, despite her small size, was keeping pace with me in an instant. There was an uncomfortable silence as we caught up with Lester. I tried to think of a suitable thing to say that wouldn’t cause more trouble when I realized proper introductions hadn’t been made. I did that then, and Aquina repeated her name, before reverting to her silent self. A conversation or two would sprinkle up, mostly between myself and Lester. Glaw’s far-off flights though grew less and less frequent, and instead he moved towards just flying over our heads at a slow speed. I didn’t know why he chose to do this – yet I had a suspicion he wasn’t fond of the pixie, or at the very least didn’t trust her. Nothing changed, and so we moved onward.

That is until Jareth showed up.


	14. Fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole thing was planned. Certain words were to be said and certain rules were to be followed. Elisa is not your average Laby-fan, and she is going to prove that you do not have to be a Mary-Sue or be Sarah to run the Labyrinth. Cliche bashing galore!

**Chapter Fourteen**

Jareth The Goblin King considered himself several things. Powerful, brilliant, and deviously dashing were all adjectives Jareth proudly described himself as.

However, high-tempered was something Jareth knew was painfully true as well. His temper had caused much pain in the past – not only his but other’s misery.

It was his uneven temper years ago that caused Jareth to be kicked out of his home in the first place. His incessant tantrums and acts of revenge had added to this fuel that ended up with Jareth landing outside of the Labyrinth. Yet if he thought back now, it was definitely somewhat a blessing in disguise – he wasn’t of court material and it had been proven several times already.

It was his temper that caused Jareth to set the Cleaners on Sarah and to toss her and Higgle into the Bog all those years ago. Regrettably, this brought about more of Sarah’s dislike of him, and his heightened role as villain to her heroine.

It had been Jareth’s temper that caused him to send out his pathetic army on Elisa. Instead of discouraging the challenger, it had instead led her to more comrades helping her in her quest.

It was definitely lucky that Jareth was able to keep a calm face even as he was thinking up plans to vanquish the girl.

What was it about this bushy haired girl that made his blood boil? It seemed that everything she did was in order to annoy him and get under his skin. Sarah had not been like that. She had had a distinct passion - the remarks of how easy his Labyrinth was had made him proud of her, and yet long for her more. Yet nothing she did seemed to bother him the way Elisa did!

She was entirely different. Elisa was unpredictable – once he thought he had her figured out she did something entirely out of her seeming character, foiling his plans. The girl was working too well with her time – she had used up six hours and was more than halfway to the castle. She had freed and befriended the dragon – a valuable asset that helped her save copious amounts of time. And worst of all he was finding he respected her – which could lead to dangerous, clause-related results.

At this groundbreaking thought, Jareth did something he hardly ever did – he left the throne room and didn’t rush to where the Runner was. Instead he went to his tower to brood - something he did quite often, but not usually when action was occurring in the Labyrinth.

He reclined in one of the several window seats in his tower room. Jareth rested his head against the walls’ corner and gave himself a few minutes to relax and forget the Labyrinth.

It didn’t take him long to realize that wasn’t working. The girl just refused to leave his mind! The clause, that wretched clause – for which he would curse the Wiseman for eternity – was being pulled into play. It wasn’t on its own – Jareth’s heart and body were able to work on independently, but the clause pointed things out so casually so that he was halfway falling for the runner without realizing it!

Words had power – Jareth and the Labyrinth taught it to every runner, the moment he showed up to claim the wished-away. Words were what caused Jareth to first become Lord of the Labyrinth and King of the Goblins. Words bound him in a non-physical way – yet in a way just as strong. And this magical binding was like a contract with certain rules and clauses to be followed. There were hundreds of them – and no physical rule book in existence. It made no difference to Jareth as he knew what they were the same way he knew where each path in the Labyrinth led to.

Some of these rules were obvious – ‘If someone said the right words he must go and claim the wished away and challenge them to the Labyrinth.’ Or ‘The wished away must be returned once the Runner has solved the Escher Room.’ Others weren’t so obvious and others were hardly enforced and more like guidelines. The Labyrinth’s magic was connected to Jareth’s and so had as much control over him as he had over _it_.

Jareth’s scowl deepened. One of the final clauses to being connected to the Labyrinth was that he must follow the wisher’s words – especially if they said the right words. Elisa’s words said that the Goblin King was in love with her _and_ that he’d given her certain powers. The wishing was obviously the power – once he’d found the goblin who whispered to her the words they’d be in the Bog before they could say ‘Uh-oh’. However, Jareth had not been in love with Elisa and the Labyrinth was all too eager to fix that…

If he thought about it though – it wouldn’t be the end of the world. Certainly not. It’d probably be pleasant in fact. Elisa was of a nice age and seemed accepting of the magic – and wasn’t ugly at the least. She had a unique look about her and her siblings were amusing. Gwenhwyfar was coming along nicely and Cathasach should follow as well if things were to go according to plan. It just was…well, it just was that she wasn’t hand picked like Sarah was, he supposed. It _wouldn’t_ be bad – he’d seen the way the fans of the movie had fawned over his character, practically worshipping him. Jareth thought he could get used to that – it just was he wasn’t expecting it. It was a different surprise than the time he gave in to his curiosity and showed up at a fan’s sleepover.

Jareth shuddered at the horrible memory and pinched his nose. The whole thing was just too complicated. What he needed to work on was making sure Elisa failed while _still_ following the basic rules. He couldn’t just drop her in an oubliette and constantly drop her back into it once she’d escaped. He needed to know more about what she did and where she was before he made any plans.

With that thought, Jareth summoned a crystal. He gave it slight spin on his fingertips, before letting it just rest there as Elisa’s image appeared.

Jareth recognized the area as a mildly copse-like area of the Labyrinth. Elisa and her band were veering slightly away from the castle – a minor time bonus, but Jareth was already thinking of how to put that to his advantage.

The Goblin King transferred the crystal to the other hand, putting it into a new light. He noticed that her male comrades were ahead of her. Odd, as Elisa had been apace with them before – perhaps she was growing tired and would give up?

Jareth nearly laughed at that. That didn’t seem likely with the way that the unpredictable girl kept moving…she was more likely putting on a front and thus trying to surprise him. Not unlike before…

At that, he winced in memory and resisted the urge to rub that sore spot. Sarah would never have done that, he thought wryly. But then again she wouldn’t truly have a civilized conversation with him either.

A flurry of color in the crystal grabbed his attention. Brow furrowed, he looked back at it to get a better view. He spun the crystal to and fro, trying to see what the bright red was until he managed to glimpse the intrusion. Once he realized what it was, Jareth gritted his teeth in anger.

He’d rescued that pixie from severe slavery four or so years ago. Jareth had made rather a nice deal with her – she (Quin? Nina?) would guard the stream for five years _outdoors_, and she’d be able to return home in less than half the time normal terms called for. For a pixie – impulsive folk – to be away from their home source as it was called, was illness-inducing. Working indoors though often led to fatal results – the redhead had been quite lucky that Jareth had come across that market when visiting one of his awful sisters.

But she’d betrayed him! He’d given her one order – an incredibly important one, but not difficult – to carry out, yet she’d failed and let the ever-growing problem, _Elisa_, cross!

Jareth snarled, and stood to grab a leather jacket – he doubted he needed the emphasis to his anger and violent nature, but it couldn’t hurt – and threw it on. The crystal from before was dropped and rolled away but Jareth didn’t pause to retrieve it, instead pulling forth another one while focusing on the area where he’d last seen them.

His surroundings changed, and Jareth was in the copse. His timing was impeccable – the dragon and sphinx had fallen back, talking to Elisa about the spirits knew what. She was walking backwards – rather foolish, so she didn’t see or hear his soundless arrival. The _others_ of the group most certainly did though…And they said pixie’s eyes always stayed at one diameter, no matter what feelings they were expressing!

“No really,” Elisa was saying. “What I don’t understand is what you’re all so worried about!” she paused, and seemed to notice the others’ wide eyes, and how they had stopped. The girl paused too, hands on hips. “Oh come on! He can’t be that bad. He’s the King!”

A smirk spread across his face as Elisa continued her speech.

“I saw how he was – the goblins all seemed to think he was fine. You all call him by his first name even! He can’t be truly evil – really he can’t. Besides he’s just a guy with magic powers that form into glitter. Hello? Lame much? And he has the crazy hair – and those pants! It’s hard to imagine someone completely cruel and heartless who clearly has some transgender issues.”

The dragon – Glaw, he believed – gave a short hiccup, and gestured behind the Runner but she misinterpreted the gesture.

“Are you trying to say you’re a homophobe? That’s awful! I thought people were more open-minded here – or at least that’s what all the fanfic says. There’s nothing wrong with a guy liking a guy or a girl liking a girl! It’s great when someone comes out of the closet instead of obviously-“ Jareth’s smirk tightened – not from anger he realized but resisting the urge to laugh. Odd… “-hiding their true feelings! I know he liked Sarah prissy-pants and all but you can swing both ways and Bowie did so it would make sense if the Goblin King was too. I mean seriously I don’t know anyone who wears as much make-up as he does! Somebody’s been playing…”

Elisa’s voice trailed off, and Jareth noticed her shoulders tense.

“Knowing my luck, he’s right behind me, isn’t he?”

Jareth quickly composed himself into a lazy look of contemplation which helped hide his real emotions quite well, as the Runner turned slowly, tugging one of the locks of her hair.

The look on her face was quite good – it seemed Jareth had won this miniature round and had surprised her for once.

“Shit,” said Elisa, still tugging her hair. “I really have to shut up.”

“An excellent idea,” Jareth returned, strolling lazily forward. She didn’t stand up straight, but shrunk back quite a bit. Quite interesting. Elisa still stayed frozen in one spot, as he leaned in towards her and clicked his tongue. “What have you been up to this time, Elisa?”

Her brown eyes grew wider, but she said nothing. Jareth resisted the urge to roll his eyes as well as the one to move closer, and leaned away. Still ignoring her companions, he found himself circling her. “First you free the dragon, next you defeat my sphinx, solved my trickiest oubliette, sent my army to another oubliette, and now you have my subjects committing treason.” The pixie’s gulp was quite audible. Jareth ended up circling once more, before reclining back against a convenient tree. “Haven’t you caused enough trouble and are ready to quit?”

That got her attention. “Quit? I’m not quitting.” Elisa snapped. “And it’s not my fault your goblin army is incompetent.”

So she was no longer afraid then…how amusing. Jareth’s mouth curved upward on one side, “Wouldn’t it just be easier on you – you must be tired – if you gave up now? No more endless walking…why you’d even have had accomplished something.” He carefully left out the part of letting her go home. He wasn’t sure what he’d do with her if she gave up…it’d depend on the Labyrinth…

She set her chin, and finally let go of her hair, crossing her arms across her chest. “Oh shut up. I’m going to beat you and your labyrinth. Got anything else to say?”

Her companions were nearing behind her – in fact the wolf was at her side, close enough for his foreleg to rub against her knee. Was she standing up like this because of putting on a front? So she had some pride then, he definitely could use that but first to deal with the pixie…

“No,” he said calmly. “I’ve got traitors to deal with.” Jareth turned away from her for a moment, and strolled over to where the pixie still was, gripping her spear like a lifeline.

“You.”

The pixie looked up, and the gulp could be seen sliding down her throat. “Your Majesty…”

“You disobeyed a direct order from your liege. Did you not?” He said briskly.

“I thought-“

“Did you not?” Jareth growled.

The redhead (Aquina? – yes, that was it,) jumped. “I did, your Highness. I beg your pardon – I had no idea…”

“Do you think I care?” gestured Jareth.

The pixie shook her head, and nearly opened her mouth when the damned Runner interjected.

“It’s not her fault!”

Again, she surprised him. Another mark was set on her side of the slate. He would have thought she would have moved on more in the copse with her other companions in order to gain back this bit of lost time.

Jareth turned back, giving a little sniff as he did so. “Oh really?” he said sarcastically. The damned girl was getting under his skin again…

She pulled her hair and seemed to be rethinking things again. Elisa’s eyes fell someplace behind him – on the pixie – and her resolve seemed to grow.

“Really,” she said firmly. “I tricked Aquina.”

He doubted that and told her so. Elisa sighed and ran a hand through her hair, bringing his attention to it yet again. The sphinx interjected then.

“Your Majesty – if I may be so bold, she is telling the truth. She nearly convinced Glaw and myself-“

“Shut up,” Jareth interjected, and brought his attention away from the matted wolf and back towards the true problem. Elisa of course. “How did a mere slip of a girl like yourself trick one of my sentries?”

The Runner wrinkled her nose, but then said, “My necklace.” To the pixie she said – “Come on Aquina, give it to his Majesty.”

Jareth couldn’t puzzle this out, but turned at the tinkling of a chain. The pixie hesitantly held out the hung brooch to him and he grabbed it. It didn’t take him longer than a second to realize the issue. Again, Jareth had to resist the urge to do something he shouldn’t – this time it was bang his head against the tree nearest.

The sigh he made instead and the closing of his eyes to control his nerves gave the wrong impression to Elisa though.

“Erm, do you understand then?” she said nervously. “They thought that because it was an owl I was some sort of noble and I couldn’t really get out of it…”

Her pride stuck out then, and the knowledge of it gave Jareth the focus to concentrate on the here and now instead of the incompetence of those around him. “Yet you went with it anyway, didn’t you Elisa?” he smirked.

Surprise filled her face. “Well sort of but it was by accident – not really my fault…”

“But did you try to stop it?” He didn’t let her answer and shook his head, “Tut, tut, Elisa – not such an example now are we?”

“I never claimed to be one!”

“Your manner suggests it – you wouldn’t want anyone to know that you do anything less than satisfactory, now would you?” He knew he’d struck her there. “Won’t let yourself give in to those urges to not be the representation of moral conduct, will you?”

Elisa clenched her teeth, and tugged sharply before saying sternly, “Just because some people like to follow some codes of dignity doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing.” Her voice wobbled at the end, but she pushed on. “Come on guys – we’re wasting time.” She turned to leave, the dragon and wolf following. The pixie didn’t try to edge past him – she seemed to realize that she would lose more by following. The dragon and wolf had truly nothing to lose as the former was a renegade outlaw who couldn’t be caught unless by mermaid-spun rope -- which couldn’t be summoned by crystal and was known for weighing down the carrier no matter how light it may first seem. The wolf had nothing to worry about as he was protected by being the Runner’s companion.

But Jareth snarled out, his emotions flaring, “And so you’ll leave the pixie here alone to face my wrath?” He left them out yet he could tell she was thinking the unsaid words ‘_that you caused.’_

She turned, hair spreading about her face, letting only bits of it peek through. “Too much to hope for then that you’ll be kind?” She turned to Glaw. “Guess what? You’re right – he is evil.” After her former declarations, it stung a bit more then it should have.

Elisa turned back towards the Goblin King, and stomped up towards him. “I do believe in doing what’s right – and you’re just not doing what is. I’m the one who caused Aquina to betray you,” at this she gave a small apologetic smile to the pixie around him. Jareth fumed at this but she continued, “If you have to punish someone – punish me.”

Jareth didn’t expect this either, but wove it into the formulating plans in his head. Damn, she had to interfere with everything!

“As you wish,” he snarled, pulling a crystal from the magic in the Labyrinth and throwing it to right above her head. He saw the surprise on her face before she disappeared in a burst of light. He ignored the clause-affected part of his mind and turned to the male companions of the Runner.

“Your Majesty…”

The invocation was never finished as two more crystals landed over their heads and they disappeared as well. They were sent to the same area that Elisa was currently in – he thought their arrival wouldn’t help her much. Jareth made a mental check on a certain inhabitant of the Labyrinth and found him near enough to assist if things went too badly there – but not so near that Elisa didn’t get what her false bravado deserved.

Jareth focused his attention on Aquina. The pixie was standing there, trembling – a mockery of the proud species the pixies usually were.

One eyebrow rose and it was enough to send Aquina on to her knees, prostrate before him.

“Your Highness! You’ve seen the item – I thought –“

“You thought wrong,” said Jareth coldly. He held out the necklace still in his hand, and the sunlight reflected off of it. Was it coincidence that the tacky material was in the shape of his other form? Jareth didn’t think so, and had it vanish to a place only he would find. At the moment at least.

“I believe we had a deal, Aquina of the Backwaters,” he hissed. “You work for me for five years letting none pass the stream that wouldn’t be desired and I’d let you free. I gave you the freedom of being outdoors, solitude, and _a simple order._ And yet you betray me in an instant – because of a shaped piece of mortal metal!”

She whimpered on the ground.

“What I should do,” he said as if only thinking of it. “Is send you back to the slave traders.” the pixie shivered. “Or at the very least, I should send you to work for Cook in the kitchens.” He paused. “But I have a much better idea – and if you follow these very simple orders our original deal will be resumed…you’ll be free to return to the Backwaters in two moon’s time as originally promised.”

Aquina looked up with fearful – yet hopeful eyes.

“Will you follow it?” he asked arrogantly. He knew the answer already – nothing would shake the pixie’s desire to return home.

Jareth didn’t resist the urge to give a violent, triumphant laugh.


	15. Fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole thing was planned. Certain words were to be said and certain rules were to be followed. Elisa is not your average Laby-fan, and she is going to prove that you do not have to be a Mary-Sue or be Sarah to run the Labyrinth. Cliche bashing galore!

**Chapter Fifteen**

His words angered me and I responded in the calmest way I could, yet my words were full of false bravado. Jareth obviously recognized them as such since he snarled, “As you wish.”

I barely saw the crystal before it was tossed up in the air. It took me a second to realize what it was before my surrounding switched – and then the surprise hit my face.

The change in my surroundings I probably wouldn’t have noticed – except for that I was hanging in midair suddenly, and nearly walloped across the head by several branches.

Too panicked to scream, I scrambled in the air before falling and landing in something wet, sticky, and heavy. There was a loud squelching sound as I landed in it, and the smell wasn’t pleasant – though I highly doubted that it was that bad in comparison to the Bog. I felt like I had belly-flopped into a pool of Jell-O. Ouch.

The sticky goop, was up to right below my chest, though I couldn’t feel the ground below my feet. In fact, I couldn’t really move them that much – I tried kicking, but I sunk a bit instead of rising, and the consistency was incredibly thick. My arms wouldn’t move through it either, when I tried a simple breaststroke pull. I sunk further – up to my collar bone.

The beating of my heart jumped up, and I realized that I was about to have a panic attack. _What the Hades was I in?_ It didn’t take me longer than a second to figure it out, and it was all I could do to not yelp when I did. _Quicksand…_

The wet goopiness of the substance between my fingers made more sense as did the fact I had sunk. I tried to stay still, but arms and legs didn’t want to listen to me or behave.

So there I was in a forced, stiff position, yet I was stuck – couldn’t move for fear of sinking, couldn’t truly stay still for fear of not knowing what was here…A large squelch (definitely not a splash) occurred, behind me, followed by another, albeit smaller one.

Groans could be heard, and my shoulders hunched up, my hands flailed despite myself. I sunk deeper – but instead of staying in the same point of view, I turned back to the direction where the noise was coming from. Doing so, I noticed I was in a pit of some sort, where trees grew up the sides.

I was up to my chin now – the goop was in my clothes now, rubbing awfully – but I have to say I was more relieved than ever at the sight of those who’d landed.

“Lester! Glaw!” I cried. “Did he send you guys here as well?

“No of course not!” said Lester bitingly. “We just wanted a swim in this mess, that’s all.”

Lester seemed to have realized exactly what he was in, and had frozen in position. His neck was completely above the quicksand, and the top hairs of his back were visible as well. Glaw was another situation though – he was thrashing madly, his lighter body still not enough to stay above, and I watched in horror as he sunk under the top of the quicksand.

“Glaw!” I screamed, already trying to swim towards him. Unfortunately I had already sunk quite a bit and I dipped under, nearly to my nose.

“Hold still!” ordered Lester. I did so, but worried about my friend, it took all of my concentration and will power. Glaw still didn’t surface again, though slight air bubbles could be seen. Lester continued to give me orders, “Don’t move a muscle! Don’t open that mouth of yours! Breathe through your nose only. Calmly Elisa – stay still.”

The bubbles had a pause in showing up. My eyes widened, and again, it was all I could do to listen to Lester.

“He’s fine!” he said urgently. “Just stay still and don’t sink further!” Was it just me, or was he sounding worried and not as sure as before?

I could feel the wet sand against my lips, and against the sphinx’s order, I then pushed my head up above the quicksand and gasped for breath, before screaming, “GLAW!!”

The bubbles started up again, thankfully. But I knew that couldn’t last long and looked urgently to Lester who was still quite a bit of a ways in front of me. The pit was the size of a small pool, and Lester was a few feet away from Glaw’s bubbles.

“Can’t you help him?” I asked, desperately.

He seemed about to make another sarcastic comment, before he took a clearer look at my scared face. Lester just sighed, shaking his head, before carefully pushing himself towards the bubbles. I held my breath, as Lester suddenly dove under the sand, and then both of my friends were gone.

Bubbles still came up, and I was thankful for that, but time passed too slowly for comfort, and I started to panic. _If only I had kept my mouth shut my friends wouldn’t be hurt...but what about Aquina? Oh Zeus I’m such a failure! They’re going to become goblins, my friends are all gonna die…_

With a slow awful squelch, they surfaced from the quicksand. “Lester, Glaw!” I cried in joy.

The miniature dragon was draped across the wolf’s back, and he seemed pretty much out of it. Lester’s fur was littered with the sticky sand, and he didn’t look happy.

“Now what?” he growled.

He had a point. “We get out?” I offered.

“Yes, Elisa, but _how?_”

I shrugged and sunk a centimeter deeper. “I keep forgetting I’m not supposed to be moving.”

Lester glared at me. “Will you think of an escape plan, already? This extra weight will only cause me to sink further!”

“Well, why don’t you think of a plan?” I snapped.

“This is a quest,” the sphinx said slowly.

“So?”

“You started the quest…” he said, as if it was obvious.

It wasn’t. “So?”

“You’re the leader,” Lester exclaimed, exasperated. “We’re companions – we follow, and assist, but you’re the one who’s supposed to solve all the problems and think up the plans.”

Pressure seemed to build upon my shoulders. And it had nothing to do with the quicksand.

What Lester said made sense in the oddest of ways – the person who led the quest or journey in books and movies, was the one relied on in situations such as these. The problem though was that it was as Jareth quite accurately put it – I was the one who got them into this mess, and my conscience wouldn’t let me abandon them. It was up to me to get them out of this mess. If only I had held my tongue – but then Aquina would be facing Jareth alone, as well because of my meddling.

I groaned. Jareth had effectively gotten my personality down right on the nail’s head – and my actions were obviously just a circle of events trapping me further. How was he able to do that? I wasn’t even able to figure it out for myself until he shone the light on it. How was he able to know that much about me when I didn’t?

“Any ideas?” growled Lester impatiently. “He’s not getting any lighter you know.”

The fact that Lester had actually made a joke brought me out of my thinking, and back to the still true fact that we were stuck in a pit of quicksand in Hermes-knew-where.

I was so going to start praying to Laima at the beginning of the rest of my adventures…if I actually made it out of this one in one piece.

Again, I glanced around hoping for an obvious way out of this mess. There was nothing surrounding me – turning my head didn't cause me to sink deeper. There were trees dipping over the edges of the pit of quicksand, but they were too far away for me to get my hands on. Damn, damn, damn.

Lester’s yellow eyes were still on me. Exasperated, I looked upwards, wishing for _something_. I then wanted to whack myself across the head.

Why hadn’t I seen the vine above before? It was nearly touching my forehead. Why hadn’t even Lester noticed it?

“Eureka,” I cried. I gestured with my nose (not an easy task, let me tell you) and Lester seemed to get the picture.

“Can you grab it?” he asked.

I glanced upward again. Definitely – but Lester _wouldn’t _be able to, and what was to happen afterwards? We were very, very slowly rising – but it was practically at the rate rocks wore down! I remembered reading that technically if you were still in quicksand you would rise eventually if you were very still, but they hadn’t said it would be at this rate! There were so few options at the moment.

The vine, I noticed, was draped over a high branch, but was in fact attached to a branch farther down, right above the solid shore.

“Can you grab it?” Lester repeated, more impatiently.

I nodded but did nothing else. “What about you and Glaw?”

“Will you be able to finish your quest without us?”

I was taken aback. My face must have shown it for he interjected. “Of course you can. You made it far along before you met me. Get yourself out and then maybe get us out. If not – _go_.”

His tone was harsh. “But-” I tried to object.

“Will you get on with it already?!” growled he.

I nodded again, and looked back up to the vine. My hand trapped down in the murky quicksand felt heavy. That was probably the sand weighing it down but…Case and Jenny, I reminded myself. Case and Jenny.

With a probably unwise move, I gave one almighty kick with my legs pressed tightly together. I pushed my arms inwards, and then up before shooting my body upwards. My torso just made it out of the quicksand, and a sound akin to slurping could be heard. My fingers slipped on the vine and slid downward. I scrabbled, trying to pull myself upward and to find purchase.

At last I stopped sliding, and I clung to the vine. I hadn’t made it far up – most of my legs were still in the quicksand, and as was my stomach. The latter was clenched.

I sighed in relief, trying not to focus on the next problem of getting out of the pit, but then heard a horrible creaking. Horrified, I glanced upward to see the branch the vine was draped across, bend downward under my weight.

Sinking more farther until the sand was up to my chest, I held on fiercely. But now the vine was just above the muck. The vine vibrated for a moment before relaxing. My stomach didn’t and I wrapped myself around the vine more tightly.

My eyes fell on Lester and Glaw. I then glanced to the vine I was clutching and then back to them. Lester’s eyes met mine. Wordlessly he understood.

“You think you can do it?” I asked, repeating his earlier questions.

He nodded his shaggy, sandy head and I fidgeted with my position again.

I believe I mentioned this already but…I am incredibly unathletic. I was always the girl who couldn’t even make it up to the first knot of the rope at gym class. The last to make it around gym in laps. The girl who always got hit in dodge ball.

Actually the latter wasn’t true – I loved dodge ball unlike any other loser kids at gym. But that’s off topic and entirely different story. The main thing was that I could _never_ climb that damned rope.

But now I was being asked to climb a slippery vine, with no convenient knots while escaping a pit of quicksand. And though I didn’t have any taunting girls watching me…well there was the evil Fey King out there waiting to turn my siblings into goblins. Who _also_ had a habit of watching me from his crystals. I really couldn’t prove that, but I was willing to bet money…either way, embarrassing. Especially after being having someone like _Sarah Williams_ run the Labyrinth before you. As whiney as Sarah had been – at least she had been able to hold onto the branch while hanging over the Bog.

I struggled on the vine. I tried to slide my hands upward but slid more. I was absolutely terrified of removing a hand, for even a moment, from the vine. I didn’t trust myself in a moment like this, sad as it was. Even when so much depended on it.

Giving a pathetic whimper, I tried to hoist my hips enough out of the sand to pull my thighs out of the quicksand and wrap my legs around the vine. No such luck. I just made a fool of myself.

“Let go,” said Lester, interrupting my panicked and guilt-ridden thoughts.

“_WHAT?_” I couldn’t believe my ears.

“Let go,” he repeated. “Then grab again.”

“I’ll fall!”

“No you won’t,” said Lester firmly. “Do it. Now.”

“I can’t,” I wailed. As I said this, I slid a bit more. “See? I’m hopeless, a failure – Case and Jen are going to be goblins-”

“Yes,” Lester interjected. “Yes they are.”

I could feel my eyes widen. “But-”

“They are,” he repeated. His eyes were fixed on mine. “They are if you give up now. They are if you continue to act like this. Is that what you want to do? Your attitude right now will have them as goblins.”

“I-”

“No, no,” Lester misleadingly growled. “That’s fine. If it’s what _you_ want to do. If you _want_ to risk everything you’ve done so far. Brought us all so far – had Aquina lose all her hope – solved riddles no one had _ever_ – save a dragon – help defeat an army-“

“That wasn’t me,” I said weakly.

“Your evil twin then?”

“No, I mean – I didn’t really do anything that great. I didn’t even get rid of the goblin army-”

“Fine then,” growled Lester. His eyes pierced. My hands slipped a bit more. I pushed myself upward a bit. The eyes lightened but he continued. “If it’s nothing great then _give up!_”

“NO!” I screamed. Gripping the vine more tightly, I said fiercely, “I can’t – don’t you see that I can’t? I’ve tried my whole life to get here – to _anywhere_ like this. And I put my brother and sister in danger because of it. They hate fantasy and magic – they’re not like me. They wouldn’t even dream of being here. I tricked them here. And I’ve done _everything_ to get here.” My voice grew tighter. “And I’m doing everything I can to get them out. And I _will!_”

With that, I heaved with all my nonexistent strength and _let go_. I reached up and grasped. One hand over the other, I pulled, and pulled. There was a squelch as my body at last left the quicksand. I was lighter and I pulled faster. The vine shot upward a few inches, and bounced for a moment. I stopped, wrapping my mucky legs about the vine, and locking my ankles as well. I panted, and glanced down the five and half feet or so to where the quicksand’s surface was.

I couldn’t see Lester’s expression, but he had maneuvered himself and Glaw carefully over to the vine’s end. With a swoop he grabbed on, and bit the vine with his mouth. The vine bounced yet again, but held firm.

I said nothing, and carefully slid down a bit. My squelching sneakers barely missed Lester’s head. I slid myself down more so that my legs were in the quicksand again – but this time they were more horizontal.

Again, Lester and I said nothing to each other, but kicked, slowly but surely towards the shore. Glaw was still out of it and our moving was slow. Since I had no watc, I couldn’t have told you if it took us an hour or ten minutes to cross the sticky, heavy, nasty pit.

But finally, _finally!_ We made it close enough to grasp solid land. I let go of the vine with one hand and threw my body onto the bank. I had never been so happy to get the wind knocked out of me. Lester was still behind me, and I lugged myself up and onto the land. Instead of rejoicing and possibly kissing the ground, I turned and _hauled_ on the vine. The wolf and dragon were then in a good position for me to lie on my stomach on the bank and reach them. I grasped at the joint between Lester’s shoulder and forelegs and pulled with all my might. He was incredibly heavy yet with him kicking, and my pulling, he eventually made it up and onto the ground next to me.

The force of the pull pushed me down to my back, and I just panted again. Had I really been able to do all that? To me it was like…winning the Olympics. Or rather making it to them – I hadn’t gotten my prize yet, but I had completed something athletic. I had _saved_ myself and Lester and Glaw from the mess I had gotten us into…

My breathing slowed at last, and I glanced to the sphinx beside me. He was spread-eagled on his stomach; Glaw had rolled off and was making odd noises on the other side of him. That was an all right sign, I thought. He seemed to have recovered from his venture under the nasty depths…

I looked back to the pit of quicksand, and pushed backwards. The sand up my pajama bottoms rubbed against my bottom. I winced. That was going to leave a horrible rash I _knew it_.

Before I could contemplate that and the wreckage of my favorite PJs further, a cough interrupted my thoughts. I looked to Lester, who was now staring at me.

I felt uncomfortable and pulled a strand of my hair. Wet, sticky sand came off into my hand. Squirming my face up in distaste, I tried to shake it off. No such luck. And Lester was still staring.

Several tense, queer moments passed. I then spoke up. “I guess I could do it. I just needed that bit of an adrenaline rush to give me enough strength. Like the old woman who lifted the car off that guy who got hit.” I gulped. “Thanks – I wouldn’t have been able to do that without you.”

The sphinx snorted. “You were able to do it all along, Elisa. You were scared of what _might_ have happened. But it was fine.” He pushed himself upwards, and shook himself, not much of the sand flying. Stopping he continued, “Humans. You’re so odd. You don’t see what’s in front of you. Nor do you realize the potential you have – and so you underestimate yourself.”

Lester moved, nudging my shoulder, and I rose shakily. The wet muck shifted in my pants, and I could feel it in the worst possible place – my underwear.

“You’re not so bad though,” Lester growled, surprising me in two ways. I had thought he had been done – and had he just complimented me?

“Not so bad?” I asked in disbelief.

“No,” Lester said simply. “You’re predictable enough for us to help you open your eyes – and once you’re pointed in the right direction you embrace what’s presented to you.”

It took me a while to wrap that around my mind. Long enough for Glaw to regain complete consciousness and begin fussing over the state of his wings.

“Thank you, I think,” I said to Lester, carefully. “You’re not so bad for a sphinx – you’ve got a sense of humor, and that’s always good in my books. Plus, you’re not only about the intelligence riddles – you know about the riddles of the world and mind too.”

He bared his teeth – a smile I knew. “Correct.”

It would have been a wonderfully tender moment of friendship between two recently reluctant allies. Instead it was interrupted by poor Glaw.

“Augh! Elisa! Lester! Help me with this! It’s all over my wings – between the folds as well. My beautiful wings! I have no idea how I’ll be able to fly! Oh Spirits…”


	16. Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole thing was planned. Certain words were to be said and certain rules were to be followed. Elisa is not your average Laby-fan, and she is going to prove that you do not have to be a Mary-Sue or be Sarah to run the Labyrinth. Cliche bashing galore!

**Chapter Sixteen**

The pixie hurried. She used her spear to launch herself over a fallen log. She landed cleanly and continued to run. She had no time to stop and admire herself – besides she had done it many times before. And she wasn’t the vain type, despite what people would think.

Abruptly, she stopped. Crouching into a low position, she scanned the area around her. She slowed her breathing until it was a faint whistle through her perked nose. She faintly heard a girl’s cry in the distant.

If she had known what ‘bingo’ was, she may have said it. But she didn’t so she just set her chin. One thing found, one more to go. _Then_ the preparations as the Goblin King asked. The pixie’s fingers reached to the satchel at her waist, the same color as her blue leaf dress. Paper crunched.

Satisfied, the pixie began to move again, slower than before, yet still as aware. She began to call in a false sing-song voice, “Your Majesty – Your Majesty! Where are you?” 

* * *

Though _I_ was still covered in the gunk, Glaw was finally clean. Well, as clean as he was going to get. The stuff wasn’t coming off without a fight and was still all over Lester and me. It felt awful.

I had never liked going to the beach _because_ of the sand that got everywhere. Well, there were other reasons too, but that was one of the main ones. And yet…had the dry sand that got stuck in my swimsuit been as bad as this wet _muck?_ I needed a shower. Badly.

Another thing I had overlooked while planning. The thought that I might get filthy hadn’t crossed my mind. It was one of the things never mentioned in fantasy novels or movies…Sarah had been pristine throughout _Labyrinth_. Why had I overlooked that? Seriously…

“Elisa? Elisa? _Elisa? ELISA!” _

Lester’s voice jolted me from my inner ramblings. “Sorry,” I said. “A bit lost in thought.”

“We’re lost in a more than just _that_,” piped up Glaw. “I’ve never been here before.”

“Great,” I sighed. The area looked like something out of _Tarzan_ or _George of the Jungle_. Vines and darkness and fauna galore was the landscape before me. It looked easy to get lost in. Especially since there was no way to tell where in the Labyrinth we actually were. The castle was hidden by the trees, so we didn’t even have that for a guide.

“How much time have we lost?” I asked. “Do you guys have any idea where he sent us?” Perhaps we were back as far as the oubliette, or maybe even the gardens. The possibilities were endless.

Lester shook his head before moving past me to sniff a purple plant before us. It nipped at him. He nipped back. “Not sure,” he said, still staring at the now cowering plant. “Jareth, I believe, isn’t allowed to send you _backwards_.”

“I don’t understand. He takes time…”

The wolf shook his head. The plant began to inch away very slowly. I heard Glaw stifle a - did he just _giggle? _Giggle? Honestly.

The plant was suddenly crushed by Lester’s paw. “Jareth,” he said, “is governed by the rules of the Labyrinth. More so than any of the creatures that live here. As far as I know,” said Lester. “His highness can't move you farther from the center of the Labyrinth." Noticing my still-perplexed look he added, shifting his paw so that the fronds of the little plant were curled about his claws. "Yes he can take away time, but it’s one of those things not affected by the rules of the Labyrinth. Moving you backwards in your progress isn’t allowed. Well, unless you verbally accepted it," he added the last thoughtfully.

"But didn’t Elisa give Jareth permission to basically punish her?" chimed in Glaw. Lester just gave him a _look _and Glaw hurriedly said, "Not that I actually know about the rules ‘bout governing the Labyrinth and such."

Lester sighed, padding around so that he was facing Glaw again. The plant was trapped by the edge of Lester's paw and was failing to edge away. "That does not count. As she’s the Runner (more officially the_ Challenger_) she is not a true citizen of the Labyrinth nor the subject the Goblin King’s rule and is only bound by..."

"Wait a sec," I interrupted. “As enlightening the rules of the Labyrinth are, I think we are just wasting more time. Especially since we lost quite a bit back there." I jerked a finger towards the pit of quicksand behind me. "Unless we have a quick way to figure out how much time we have left, we need to get going. _Now."_

They seemed to realize how frustrated I had become, and they started to move forward. The little flower got away at last but I think I was the only one who noticed in the end. Shame, I was thinking of naming it Audrey...

We had barely moved twenty feet into the undergrowth when we heard the sound of shrill calls and a muttering voice. The three of us just exchanged looks before we dove into a convenient bush. Filled with thorns. We then became even _more_ scratched and bruised.

Oh what fun.

My breathing automatically slowed as the steps came closer and the voices became louder. I thought I heard an anxious squeak from Glaw and I grabbed his mouth around the snout to shut it. We had no idea who or what it was! It could be Jareth Royal Pants again!

A voice could be made out then, “And what is going on? I don’t know what we’re doing here…”

There was an exasperated sigh, “I told you already – we’re going to find Elisa and her comrades. _Then_ you’re doing as I asked before. Don’t you remember…” The voice’s owner came into my vision then. I instantly recognized the blue dress and red hair that made mine look tame.

“Aquina!” I shouted, jumping up from our hiding place. The sharp bush wasn’t too happy with that though, and I lost my balance, got scratched even _more_, and whacked Lester across the face. I heard Glaw’s yelp, before I finally fell.

“Ow,” I groaned from on the ground. “Why doesn’t anything happen _normally_ here?”

“Is _that_ her?” came a voice twinged with a slight Spanish accent. “You don’t mean _her _do you?”

That voice sounded _suspiciously_ familiar. I pulled my bruised, battered self to my knees and my eyes saw grey-brown robes. I looked higher and saw a white beard, a knobby face, and an _awesome_ hat.

“The Wiseman?” I asked in disbelief. “I thought _none_ of the guys from the movie except Ole Jareth were here.”

Aquina huffed, “I’m so glad you were concerned for my safety back there…”

Lester, having emerged from the bush along with Glaw, growled at the pixie. She hopped back.

“Wiseman?” queried the Old Man. “Who’s he?”

I made it to my feet from my knees, realizing that the man was only a few inches shorter than me. He had looked shorter in the movie…“Why, you of course,” I said. “Or at least that’s what the film credits called you.” I paused. “I think.”

“A _wise _man?” the hat crowed. “That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard in a _very_ long time. Wiseman!” He began a hacking laugh.

My eyes widened. “I don’t get it. Who are you then?”

He straightened his hunched body, and with a proud voice said, "I am the Goblin King."

The hat snorted, and I stared in dumbfounded silence. Before my mind could even come up with a _stupid_ retort, he spoke again. Though his voice still had that proud authority, his eyes were starting to drift to other areas.

“It seems like just yesterday that I created this kingdom…no, it must have been the day before yesterday since I had tea with that Fey fellow. Fine man though he needs to control that temper and stop that infernal singing…”

“Psh – his singing is all that keeps him sane,” said the Hat. He snorted. “You didn’t and wouldn’t and look where you are now – as crazy as the Alice girl!”

“I am not!”

“Yes you are!”

“No, I’m not!”

“Yes you are!”

My eyes darted up and down between the strange ping-pong match. How long would they actually go on for? And was he really the Goblin King?

Aquina interrupted my thoughts. “Your Majesty!” He and the Hat stopped suddenly, and they looked to her. “Didn’t you need to _give_ something to Elisa?”

My brows furrowed, and so did his. “No, you said you wanted us to come and help her, but she’s out. That was it, wasn’t it?” The hat snorted again.

The pixie emitted a furious little sound. “Don’t you _remember_ \- we just talked about how you’d give that thing to Elisa.”

“_What_?” I asked. They turned. “Look, I really don’t need anything at the moment except a bath – and need to get going. I have a gazillion questions, but I don’t think I can do that now, as Case and Jen are _still_ wait – AGH!”

Before I could finish my sentence, a large amount of water fell on me. Well, fell wasn’t the right word – drenched, dumped, or caused me to practically drown would be more accurate. The sand coating my body began to slide off very slowly, but still – I felt worse than before. Slimy instead of coarse.

I just wanted to cry. I really did, but closed my eyes tightly, and began reciting the Leaving Speech in my head. Once slightly calmer, eyes still closed I asked, “How much are we betting that that was His Majesty’s fault?”

The voice of the Former Goblin King/Wiseman/Somebody said gently, “Didn’t you say you needed a shower? I might have overdone it…”

I grabbed my hair, and it took most of my self-restraint to not pull my hair out. I was going insane, I was slowly going insane – and how can an insane person solve a Labyrinth?

A quote from Alice in Wonderland about madness struck me then – about only being in Wonderland because of being mad. Was the Labyrinth the same?

I realized I was procrastinating. I dropped my hands, and then whipped off my backpack. The contents were probably wrecked. I opened the bag, and was right. My extra pair of socks were destroyed, soaking wet and sandy. My bottle of water was coated…but what was inside looked safe. As did my bottle of ibuprofen. I vaguely considered taking some, but decided against it – my headache was probably not worthy of it.

I could feel their eyes on me, but I continued to dig. Notebook and pencil were disgusting, the pencil might be usable eventually…at least the notebook hadn’t anything in it. My toothbrush and small thing of Lysol (in case of ending up near the bog) were broken and covered. I assumed my bag would smell of the too-fragrant stuff if it weren’t for the fact it now was full of sandy muck.

At least my Ziploc bag of animal crackers was safe. I _loved_ my animal crackers.

Giving a sigh, I packed it up again. They all were still staring at me. “What? Did you want something? These _were_ the only supplies I had.”

Lester gave me a glare, “And were they important?”

I opened my mouth…and shut it. I shook my head. “Fine, let’s get going as we were going to do _earlier_ before someone had to make this situation worse.” I turned, and my feet squelched on the ground. Yuck.

“Wait!” said the Hat. I gave a sigh and turned back. “The ole man forgot to give you something.”

I gestured to my dripping hair (slightly less huge, but now a knotty mess). “I think I got it already.”

Glaw gave a mighty flap of his wings and he soared upwards. Though the others turned to see his short flight, I didn’t, instead continuing to glare at The Hat and the Old Man’s (for lack of an accurate name) behavior. Thus I missed it when Glaw landed on my shoulders, digging his claws in again.

This really wasn’t going well for me. Next time I decided to go plan a trip to the middle of fantasy land, I was going to bring a spare outfit as something to change into, and shoulder padding. My cousin used to play football – I might be able to get something from him…

Aquina suddenly gave a frustrated growl, moving towards the Old Man. I watched, almost horrified, as she grabbed the belt that tied his robes shut. Funny, I didn’t remember that in the film either.

Tugging sharply, she wrenched free a small brown pouch and threw it to me. I missed it, but luckily Glaw caught it. He dropped it into my palms.

“Thanks,” I muttered. The others were staring again. “Well, if that’s it and I was supposed to get this – can we go now? I think I’ve said this already, but I’m on a _time limit,_ people.”

“Of course,” said the Old Man. “And it’s tea time isn’t it? Perhaps that Jareth chap will visit us again. He tells the oddest stories these days…”

And just like that he strode from our sight. My jaw dropped (or had it been that way the entire time?) as his long robes trailed from my view, and the Hat’s nagging stopped echoing in my ears.

Lester gave a low bark. “Well, _that_ was unexpected.”

“No shit,” I said, shaking my head. “And how come out of all the guys from the movie I’m stuck with His Royal Tightiness and a lunatic Old Guy?”

The ground shook.

“On second thought – they really are quite lovely, don’t you think so?” I said, big beaming smile on my face. “Nothing like tights. Nothing like tights at all…” I lowered my voice. “Let’s get out of these woods already.”

Still clutching the small sack given to me, we ran.


End file.
